How to block a ticket while working on it?

JorgeLopez · 2012-01-20 09:58:01

Hi all,

We are using GLPI since mars 2011 and we are very happy with this tool. But many times it happens that two technicians start to work on the same ticket (we have around 16000 registered tickets right now and 8 technicians), which implies overlapped solutions or an user receiving two different requests of information and others problems of this kind.

This is why I'm asking if there is a way to block a ticket while a technician is working on it, as others tools do (like OTRS). We are using glpi 0.80.4 in a linux server.

Thanks!

tomolimo · 2012-01-20 10:23:12

hello,
I've the same issue...
how could it be solved?
thank you,
regards,
Tomolimo

remi · 2012-01-20 10:27:54

No solution for now

A solution could be a "Take button" which will affect the ticket to current technicien if not already assigned.

Lock in web application are really not easy to handle.
- Open a ticket
- Lock it
- Close the browser
- How would the lock be removed ?

JorgeLopez · 2012-01-20 11:23:36

For us, the ticket must stay blocked until it has been transferred or unblocked, so it doesn't mind if you close the browser without release it.
May be the "Take button" cans lock the ticket if unblocked, and releases it if blocked, being shown as "Release button".
The ticket stays blocked until released and the supervisor or other technician could transfer or unblock a ticket in case of need. Locking a ticket doesn't affect computing SLA's nor its status.

As locking a ticket this way would be optional, it wouldn't affect people without the need to lock tickets and will allow others, like us, to use this mechanism.

What do you think?

tomolimo · 2012-01-20 12:09:02

it sounds ok for me
regards,
tomolimo

remi · 2012-01-20 12:31:59

Sorry, but a "release" button (so a manual lock) seems really a poor solution (to me)

tomolimo · 2012-01-20 13:01:31

it could be released "by default": I mean if a user view a ticket then we he can have on the form the information that "it is in use by ...". then if the user requests the ownership of a ticket (with a click on the lock button), then it requests him confirmation (as it is already locked by...), and then releases the lock and then locking the ticket for him.
regards,
tomolimo

JorgeLopez · 2012-01-20 14:17:58

One alternative could be a timed lock. The lock will be released if some time has passed when it is opened again (to avoid a daemon), which could be customized using a parameter in the config.

Any solution could be good as long as technicians are getting aware if the ticket is being updated by other, to prevent users to get confused because of different actions at same time. I think it would interesting to find how to achieve this feature in GLPI.

OTRS, for example, is using a kind of semi-manual lock, I think. The lock is released automatically when it is transferred to other queue or its status is changed, and also can be manually released. Could be a poor solution, but is a solution.

Can we be able to find a way to get this with a better approach?

Regards.

Last edited by JorgeLopez (2012-01-20 14:21:49)

tomolimo · 2012-11-30 15:09:30

Hello,
We had a workshop on the subject in my company, and here is the workflow that has been decided with the people from the helpdesk:

Description:
A ticket will be 'Locked' or 'Unlocked'. When 'Locked', it will be available in read-only mode. With the exception of the post-only profiles that will be able to add follow-ups or documents to its own tickets (whatever is the lock/unlock status).
Workflow:
When opening an 'Unlocked' ticket, it will be auto-locked by GLPI, and available for read-write till closing of browser (or quitting of ticket page, or could be time-out).
When opening a 'Locked' ticket, then a message will be shown on the ticket page to alert the user that 'This ticket has been locked by "Name FirstName" since "2012-11-01 12:03:54"'. This message will appear at top of ticket page in red color (to be viewed correctly by user).
A 'Lock/Unlock' tab will be present to give rights to unlock the current 'Locked' ticket. This right will be managed per profile.
Technical:
a new GLPI plugin can be created ('locks'), a new GLPI table will be needed 'glpi_plugin_locks_locks'. it will have the following fields:
object type: itemtype ('Ticket', 'Computer', ...) --> the idea behind is to use this also for any kind of item type (Network, Computer, Device, Ticket, User,...)
object id: items_id
user id: users_id
date time: date

regards,
Tomolimo

JorgeLopez · 2012-12-03 14:22:53

Hi tomolimo,

Great job. I find it adecuate for us. Are you developing such a 'lock' plugin? Right now is impossible for us to afford this task, so we will appreciate a lot if it could be available.

Thank you, in any case.

tomolimo · 2012-12-11 15:24:51

Current status: plugin is under test!
regards,
Tomolimo

tomolimo · 2012-12-11 17:31:57

Hello GLPI core team,
For the implementation of this plugin, I needed to have two new hooks that I named 'pre_show_item' and 'post_show_item'.

These two new hooks are to be called with the 'doHook()' function like this:

doHook('pre_show_item', $this ) ;

and

doHook('post_show_item', $this ) ;

This has to be done in the ticket.class.php file in the showForm() function and in the ticket.tabs.php file like following:

in the ticket.class.php file the function showForm():

   function showForm($ID, $options=array()) {
      global $DB, $CFG_GLPI, $LANG;

      if( $ID > 0 ) $this->fields[$this->getIndexName()] = $ID ;
      doHook('pre_show_item', $this ) ;
.../...
      doHook('post_show_item', $this ) ;

      return true;
   }

Note: for the pre_show_item call, the $this is not initialized with the item ID, so is explained the line to assign the ID to $this.

in the ticket.tabs.php:

.../...
$ticket = new Ticket();
if ($_POST["id"]>0 && $ticket->getFromDB($_POST["id"])) {

   doHook('pre_show_item', $ticket ) ;

   switch($_REQUEST['glpi_tab']) {
.../...
   }
   doHook('post_show_item', $ticket ) ;
}

ajaxFooter();
?>

Of course if we want to lock/unlock more item types (like Computer), this has to be done also in the computer.class.php and in the computer.tabs.php (I did that also and it works like a charm:))
Do you think that it'll be possible to include these two new hooks in the core of GLPI?

With these hook calls defined, I've developed a plugin called 'Lock' which is currently under tests.
I hope to you give more news before end of this week.

Regards,
Tomolimo

Last edited by tomolimo (2012-12-12 12:59:32)

tomolimo · 2012-12-13 16:13:43

The plugin has been on production server since 2:00 PM today!
And up to now there are no problems!
regards,
Tomolimo

tomolimo · 2012-12-17 09:25:13

I've added to this plugin a cron task to unlock forgotten locked object. there is a parameter to this cron task: it is the delay before considering a locked object as forgotten: by default I set it to 4 hours.
regards,
Tomolimo

giordano.cattaneo · 2015-07-21 17:31:16

Hello
we are looking for a lock mechanism in GLPI, expecially for tickets; are you still using the 'lock' plugin also in newer version of GLPI? Is it available to install?
Thanks,
Giordano

scmi · 2015-07-31 14:39:56

Hi,
the 'Behaviors' plugin can do it

tomolimo · 2015-08-04 13:16:57

Hello,

Behaviors doesn't really "lock" a ticket as it doesn't block ticket edition on browser side...

Yes we are still using this plugin, but currently in our GLPI version (0.83.8)
If you are really interested by this, I can request again the creation of the mandatory hooks (see above).

regards,
Tomolimo

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Announcement

#1 2012-01-20 09:58:01

How to block a ticket while working on it?

#2 2012-01-20 10:23:12

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#3 2012-01-20 10:27:54

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#4 2012-01-20 11:23:36

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#5 2012-01-20 12:09:02

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#6 2012-01-20 12:31:59

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#7 2012-01-20 13:01:31

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#8 2012-01-20 14:17:58

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#9 2012-11-30 15:09:30

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#10 2012-12-03 14:22:53

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#11 2012-12-11 15:24:51

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#12 2012-12-11 17:31:57

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#13 2012-12-13 16:13:43

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#14 2012-12-17 09:25:13

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#15 2015-07-21 17:31:16

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#16 2015-07-31 14:39:56

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

#17 2015-08-04 13:16:57

Re: How to block a ticket while working on it?

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