alerting: propagate alert validation issues to the user instead of just 'invalid alert data' message

pkg/services/alerting/extractor.go

@@ -82,8 +82,7 @@ func (e *DashAlertExtractor) getAlertFromPanels(jsonWithPanels *simplejson.Json,
 		if collapsed && collapsedJSON.MustBool() {
 
 			// extract alerts from sub panels for collapsed panels
-			alertSlice, err := e.getAlertFromPanels(panel,
-				validateAlertFunc)
+			alertSlice, err := e.getAlertFromPanels(panel, validateAlertFunc)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ func (e *DashAlertExtractor) getAlertFromPanels(jsonWithPanels *simplejson.Json,
 
 		panelID, err := panel.Get("id").Int64()
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("panel id is required. err %v", err)
+			return nil, ValidationError{Reason: "A numeric panel id property is missing"}
 		}
 
 		// backward compatibility check, can be removed later
@@ -146,7 +145,8 @@ func (e *DashAlertExtractor) getAlertFromPanels(jsonWithPanels *simplejson.Json,
 
 			datasource, err := e.lookupDatasourceID(dsName)
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				e.log.Debug("Error looking up datasource", "error", err)
+				return nil, ValidationError{Reason: fmt.Sprintf("Data source used by alert rule not found, alertName=%v, datasource=%s", alert.Name, dsName)}
 			}
 
 			jsonQuery.SetPath([]string{"datasourceId"}, datasource.Id)
@@ -167,8 +167,7 @@ func (e *DashAlertExtractor) getAlertFromPanels(jsonWithPanels *simplejson.Json,
 		}
 
 		if !validateAlertFunc(alert) {
-			e.log.Debug("Invalid Alert Data. Dashboard, Org or Panel ID is not correct", "alertName", alert.Name, "panelId", alert.PanelId)
-			return nil, m.ErrDashboardContainsInvalidAlertData
+			return nil, ValidationError{Reason: fmt.Sprintf("Panel id is not correct, alertName=%v, panelId=%v", alert.Name, alert.PanelId)}
 		}
 
 		alerts = append(alerts, alert)

pkg/services/alerting/extractor_test.go

@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ func TestAlertRuleExtraction(t *testing.T) {
 
 			Convey("Should fail on save", func() {
 				_, err := extractor.GetAlerts()
-				So(err, ShouldEqual, m.ErrDashboardContainsInvalidAlertData)
+				So(err.Error(), ShouldEqual, "Alert validation error: Panel id is not correct, alertName=Influxdb, panelId=1")
 			})
 		})
 	})

pkg/services/alerting/rule.go

@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ type ValidationError struct {
 }
 
 func (e ValidationError) Error() string {
-	extraInfo := ""
+	extraInfo := e.Reason
 	if e.Alertid != 0 {
 		extraInfo = fmt.Sprintf("%s AlertId: %v", extraInfo, e.Alertid)
 	}
 
 	if e.PanelId != 0 {
-		extraInfo = fmt.Sprintf("%s PanelId: %v ", extraInfo, e.PanelId)
+		extraInfo = fmt.Sprintf("%s PanelId: %v", extraInfo, e.PanelId)
 	}
 
 	if e.DashboardId != 0 {
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ func (e ValidationError) Error() string {
 	}
 
 	if e.Err != nil {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s%s", e.Err.Error(), e.Reason, extraInfo)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("Alert validation error: %s%s", e.Err.Error(), extraInfo)
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Sprintf("Failed to extract alert.Reason: %s %s", e.Reason, extraInfo)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("Alert validation error: %s", extraInfo)
 }
 
 var (