Issue Summary

This affects Data Center:

It would be nice if we could fully support the use of variables when setting branch names for Bitbucket Server and Data Center repositories from the UI and Bamboo Specs. Currently, it's impossible to use variables to set branch names from the UI; however it is possible to bypass this limitation using Bamboo Specs.

Steps to Reproduce

We'll use an example to demonstrate how to work around the limitation imposed by the Bamboo UI and set a branch name using a variable for a Bitbucket Server and Data Center repository via Bamboo Specs.

1. In this example, the plan has two repositories associated with it.
   • The first repository is a linked repository containing the Specs code for the plan.
   • The second repository is a plan repository containing some code that needs to be tested – this is the repository we're going to set the variable.
     Example

     ...
     variables:
       CUSTOM_BRANCH: main
     Default Job:
       key: JOB1
       tasks:
       - checkout:
           repository: specs-repo
           path: specs-repo
           force-clean-build: 'true'
           description: Checkout Default Repository
       - checkout:
           repository: plan_repo
           path: plan_repo
           force-clean-build: 'true'
           description: Checkout Local Repository
       artifact-subscriptions: []
     repositories:
     - specs_repo:
         scope: global
     - plan_repo:
         type: bitbucket-server
         server: Bitbucket
         project: PROJECT
         slug: rainbow
         clone-url: ssh://git@linux-29478.prod.atl-cd.net:7999/project/rainbow.git
         public-key: ssh-rsa AAAAB3N...
         private-key: BAMSCRT@0@0@...
         branch: ${bamboo.CUSTOM_BRANCH}
         command-timeout-minutes: '180'
         use-shallow-clones: 'false'
         cache-on-agents: 'true'
         submodules: 'false'
         verbose-logs: 'false'
         fetch-all: 'false'
         lfs: 'false'
         viewer: com.atlassian.bamboo.plugins.stash.atlassian-bamboo-plugin-stash:bbServerViewer
     branches:
     ...
     

     First, we need to declare the CUSTOM_BRANCH variable and set the branch name. Then call the variable using ${bamboo.CUSTOM_BRANCH} from the branch attribute inside the plan repository configuration.

2. This allows us to override the branch we will build for the plan repository using the UI's Run > Run customized... option.

Expected Results

1. It is possible to override the branch for a certain build using the Run > Run customized... option with no side effects.
2. Changes made to the branch that was set inside the Specs file (in this case, main) trigger a build if there's a "Bitbucket Server repository triggered" trigger set for the repository.

Actual Results

1. It is possible to override the branch for a certain build using the Run > Run customized... option ; however we get two builds triggered one after the other. The first build checks out the branch that was modified using the Run > Run customized… option, and the second build triggered immediately afterward will check out the branch that was defined inside the YAML file (using the variable).
2. Bamboo doesn't automatically trigger builds when there's a change in the repository using the variable even if the "Bitbucket Server repository triggered" trigger is enabled for that repository.
   • If you remove the variable and use an actual branch name, your changes will start getting automatically built by Bamboo again.

Workaround