Hi all
I am using Jenkins as a system that monitors cron jobs, and allows users to
start various shell scripts on servers with parameters.
Jenkins serves this purpose really well, because you can:
- Use the company LDAB server for login
- Control who has access to what
- Monitor the success of the job.
- Log the output of the scripts, for debugging.
- And it is fairly easy for non technical people to start jobs via a web
GUI, allowing the development and operations teams to outsource some
trivial tasks to other departments.
I have the following problems with the last point though.
1. If i send the user to the job page, where i can put a description on
what the job does.
- Pro: The users can read the documentation on how to do the job,
which will make them more likely to put in the correct parameters, and
not
run the job if it is not the correct one.
- Con: The users cannot always easy find the build button to the
left, and it will require them an ekstra click to start the job.
2. If i send the user directly to the build now (/build?delay=0sec).
The page will include the following: Job name, the text "This build
requires parameters:" the parameters, and a build button.
- Pro: It is far more easy for the users to understand what to do, you
put in arguments, and hit the build button.
- Con: The user might to a mistake, because he does not read my
documentation on the job. Causing wrong parameters, or the job being
started when it was not necessary or wrong.
Remember this applies to the non technical users, developers or system
administrators do not have this problem.
My suggestions for a solution could be one of the following.
- Add the project description on the top of the build now page.
- Allow the job creator to put in another description for the build now
page.
- Add a parameters that is not a real argument, but just put in a
description.
Also allowing the job creator to rename the "build" button, to something
else that makes more sense in relation to what the job does, would be
useful.
My questions are
- Does anyone else have this problem ?
- If yes, what was your solution, did you find any plugins that i have
not found to help you.
- Is it possible to develop a plugin that does that ? (this would
requere that you can extend the build now page, or cheat with a text only
parameter)
I have tried to search for plugins, and even looked into the plugin api a
bit to see if the build page is extendable, but it does not look like it is
possible. (i am not sure about the last one though)
What do you think?
Best regards
Jesper Terkelsen
