Jenkins boolean parameter is always true in groovy - groovy

Question

I have a Jenkins job that calls a groovy script and the groovy script uses Jenkins parameters to do it's work. I can retrieve all the parameters without a problem except for a boolean parameter. The boolean parameter is a checkbox in Jenkins
I read the jenkins parameter into Groovy as follows:
boolean libraryBranch = config.get('library_branch_feature');
Now when I print the 'libraryBranch' variable
out.println "-- Library branch feature?: " + libraryBranch.toString();
I get the following printed line:
-- Library branch feature ?: true
So it doesn't matter if the boolean Jenkins parameter is selected or not I always have a boolean value 'true' in Groovy. All other (string) parameters inside the same job are read without a problem.
Can someone help me with this issue?
EDIT
Ok I've decided to try and retrieve the code in a couple of other ways and tyring to find a good solution:
Boolean libraryBranch = build.buildVariableResolver.resolve("library_branch_feature");
String libraryBranchString = build.buildVariableResolver.resolve("library_branch_feature").toString();
Boolean libraryBranchStringAsBoolean = build.buildVariableResolver.resolve("library_branch_feature") as Boolean;
The above variables are then printed:
out.println "-- Library branch feature?: " + libraryBranch;
out.println "-- Library branch feature to String: " + libraryBranch.toString();
out.println "-- Library branch feature to String: " + libraryBranch.toString();
out.println "-- Library branch feature as String: " + libraryBranchString;
out.println "-- Library branch feature String as Boolean: " + libraryBranchStringAsBoolean;
The output of the above prints are posted below:
-- Library branch feature?: true
-- Library branch feature to String: true
-- Library branch feature to String: true
-- Library branch feature as String: false
-- Library branch feature String as Boolean: true
So the only way thus far to have the boolean value read correctly as a false is by not turning it into a boolean at all but just reading it as a string and use it as a string.
I would rather use it as a boolean though so any suggestions on the matter is still appreciated.

Answer 1

The answer is to read the Jenkins parameter as String and then convert it to a boolean using the method .toBoolean(); So my libraryBranch is now set as follows:
boolean libraryBranch = build.buildVariableResolver.resolve("library_branch_feature").toString().toBoolean();

Answer 2

Just out of curiosity, I tried the following:
Set the variable 'testmode' as a boolean in the pipeline setup.
Start the job, with testmode set false (unchecked).
In the pipeline script, run the following code immediately upon entry:
testmode=testmode.toBoolean()
if (testmode==false) { print "testmode tests true"}else{print "testmode tests false"}
you will see the result 'testmode tests false'.
To verify my claim that the 'boolean' variable testmode is ACTUALLY a string when it comes in, I tried:
testmode=testmode.toBoolean()
testmode=testmode.toBoolean()
and it blew up on the 2nd 'toBoolean'. I'll spare you the error message...
So, I claim that testmode comes in as the string "false" instead of as a boolean (whether because of promotion, demotion, forcing, whatever).
So, if its a boolean parameter, and you really wanted to treat it like a boolean and not have to say 'if (booleanvar=="true")', then convert it to a boolean as above and you're done.

Answer 3

The question and the answers are a bit dated. The modern method to
consume a boolean parameter is to use the params. global values. params
properly exposes Boolean parameters such that the following both work and
require no string/boolean conversions.
if (params.library_branch_feature) {
// truth logic here
}
// or
if (params.library_branch_feature != false) {
// truth logic here
}
From the Pipeline Syntax for params.:
Exposes all parameters defined in the build as a read-only map with variously typed values. Example:
if (params.BOOLEAN_PARAM_NAME) {doSomething()}
or to supply a nontrivial default value:
if (params.getOrDefault('BOOLEAN_PARAM_NAME', true)) {doSomething()}
NOTE:
It may not make sense that a boolean parameter can have NO value,
but '.getOrDefault()' is useful to set default values for string parameters.

Answer 4

I encountered the same problem with reading java Properties - retrieved boolean values are always true. So, say I have a settings file with property debugging=false. This test will fail:
class ConfigurationTest extends GroovyTestCase {
void testProcessConfiguration() {
Properties properties=new Properties()
FileReader fileReader=new FileReader('settings')
properties.load(fileReader)
boolean debug=properties.getOrDefault('debugging',false)
assert !debug
fileReader.close()
}
}
But if you make it properties.getOrDefault('debugging',false).toString().toBoolean() it will return correct value. Probably this is because of coercion?