Introduce a new summary description field for jobs

core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Run.java

@@ -157,6 +157,14 @@ public abstract class Run <JobT extends Job<JobT,RunT>,RunT extends Run<JobT,Run
      */
     public static final long QUEUE_ID_UNKNOWN = -1;
 
+    /**
+     * Target size limit for truncated {@link #description}s in the Build History Widget.
+     * Negative values will disable truncation, {@code 0} will enforce empty strings.
+     * The value has no effect if a new {@link #summary} field is defined.
+     * @since TODO
+     */
+    private static int TRUNCATED_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT = SystemProperties.getInteger("historyWidget.descriptionLimit", 100);
+
     protected transient final @Nonnull JobT project;
 
     /**
@@ -221,10 +229,22 @@ public abstract class Run <JobT extends Job<JobT,RunT>,RunT extends Run<JobT,Run
     protected volatile Result result;
 
     /**
-     * Human-readable description. Can be null.
+     * Human-readable description which is used on the main build page.
+     * It can also be quite long, and it may use markup in a format defined by a {@link hudson.markup.MarkupFormatter}.
+     * {@link #getTruncatedDescription()} may be used to retrieve a size-limited description,
+     * but it implies some limitations.
      */
+    @CheckForNull
     protected volatile String description;
 
+    /**
+     * A short human-readable summary which is used on the main page, build history widgets and other locations.
+     * It may use markup in a format defined by the {@link hudson.markup.MarkupFormatter}.
+     * The goal for this field is to keep the formatted text below the {@link #TRUNCATED_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT} symbols limit.
+     */
+    @CheckForNull
+    protected volatile String summary;
+
     /**
      * Human-readable name of this build. Can be null.
      * If non-null, this text is displayed instead of "#NNN", which is the default.
@@ -659,33 +679,56 @@ public final long getStartTimeInMillis() {
         return startTime;
     }
 
+    //TODO(oleg_nenashev): Do we want to export full description by default taking the size considerations? Looks like it should be another REST API or a flag
     @Exported
+    @CheckForNull
     public String getDescription() {
         return description;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Gets summary of the run.
+     * This is a formatted string, {@link hudson.markup.MarkupFormatter} should be applied to it in the WebUI.
+     * If the {@link #summary} field is {@code null}, the method will also try to retrieve a truncated {@link #description}.
+     * @since TODO
+     */
+    @Exported
+    @CheckForNull
+    public String getSummary() {
+        return summary != null ? summary : getTruncatedDescription();
+    }
 
     /**
      * Returns the length-limited description.
+     * The method tries to take the HTML tags into account, but it is a best-effort attempt.
+     * Also, the method will not work properly if a non-HTML {@link hudson.markup.MarkupFormatter} is used.
      * @return The length-limited description.
-     * @deprecated truncated description uses arbitrary and unconfigurable limit of 100 symbols
+     * @deprecated truncated description based on the {@link #TRUNCATED_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT} setting.
      */
     @Deprecated
-    public @Nonnull String getTruncatedDescription() {
-        final int maxDescrLength = 100;
-        if (description == null || description.length() < maxDescrLength) {
+    public @CheckForNull String getTruncatedDescription() {
+        if (TRUNCATED_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT < 0) { // disabled
             return description;
         }
+        if (TRUNCATED_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT == 0) { // Someone wants to suppress descriptions, why not?
+            return "";
+        }
+
+        final int maxDescrLength = TRUNCATED_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT;
+        final String localDescription = description;
+        if (localDescription == null || localDescription.length() < maxDescrLength) {
+            return localDescription;
+        }
 
         final String ending = "...";
-        final int sz = description.length(), maxTruncLength = maxDescrLength - ending.length();
+        final int sz = localDescription.length(), maxTruncLength = maxDescrLength - ending.length();
 
         boolean inTag = false;
         int displayChars = 0;
         int lastTruncatablePoint = -1;
 
         for (int i=0; i<sz; i++) {
-            char ch = description.charAt(i);
+            char ch = localDescription.charAt(i);
             if(ch == '<') {
                 inTag = true;
             } else if (ch == '>') {
@@ -702,7 +745,7 @@ public String getDescription() {
             }
         }
 
-        String truncDesc = description;
+        String truncDesc = localDescription;
 
         // Could not find a preferred truncatable index, force a trunc at maxTruncLength
         if (lastTruncatablePoint == -1)
@@ -2330,6 +2373,18 @@ public void setDescription(String description) throws IOException {
         this.description = description;
         save();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets a new summary
+     * @param summary Summary to set. Use {@code null} to remove the summary.
+     * @throws IOException Summary update error
+     * @since TODO
+     */
+    public void setSummary(@CheckForNull String summary) throws IOException {
+        checkPermission(UPDATE);
+        this.summary = summary;
+        save();
+    }
 
     /**
      * Accepts the new description.
@@ -2340,6 +2395,17 @@ public synchronized void doSubmitDescription( StaplerRequest req, StaplerRespons
         rsp.sendRedirect(".");  // go to the top page
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Accepts the new summary.
+     * @since TODO
+     */
+    @RequirePOST
+    @Restricted(NoExternalUse.class)
+    public synchronized void doSubmitSummary( StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse rsp ) throws IOException, ServletException {
+        setSummary(req.getParameter("summary"));
+        rsp.sendRedirect(".");  // go to the top page
+    }
+
     /**
      * @deprecated as of 1.292
      *      Use {@link #getEnvironment(TaskListener)} instead.
@@ -2476,6 +2542,7 @@ public long getEstimatedDuration() {
     protected void submit(JSONObject json) throws IOException {
         setDisplayName(Util.fixEmptyAndTrim(json.getString("displayName")));
         setDescription(json.getString("description"));
+        setSummary(json.optString("summary", null));
     }
 
     public static final XStream XSTREAM = new XStream2();

core/src/main/resources/hudson/widgets/HistoryWidget/entry.jelly

@@ -71,9 +71,10 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
           </div>
         </j:if>
       </div>
-      <j:if test="${!empty build.description}">
+      <j:set var="buildSummary" value="${build.summary}"/>
+      <j:if test="${!empty buildSummary}">
         <div class="pane desc indent-multiline">
-          <j:out value="${app.markupFormatter.translate(build.description)}"/>
+          <j:out value="${app.markupFormatter.translate(buildSummary)}"/>
         </div>
       </j:if>
       <div class="left-bar" />