# Access json objects with dot in key using string output codec

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/access-json-objects-with-dot-in-key-using-string-output-codec/182047>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Tags:** filebeat\
**Created:** [May 21, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/access-json-objects-with-dot-in-key-using-string-output-codec/182047 "2019-05-21T15:19:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![logankimmel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/db5fbb/32.png) [@logankimmel](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/logankimmel)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/access-json-objects-with-dot-in-key-using-string-output-codec/182047/1 "2019-05-21T15:19:47Z")

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I'm trying to access a nested json object when using the string codec format but the key I'm trying to access has a "." in it. What is the correct syntax to do so?  
An example of the json is:  
{  
"json": {  
"time": "2019-03-26T18:09:43.396624023Z",  
"vars.reference": "alpine",  
"http.request.uri": "/v2/admin/glbtest1/manifests/alpine"  
}  
}

The example string format syntax is:  
string: '%{[@timestamp]} %{[message]}'

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pierhugues](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/pierhugues/32/48383_2.png) [@pierhugues](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/pierhugues)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 12:37am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/access-json-objects-with-dot-in-key-using-string-output-codec/182047/2 "2019-05-23T00:37:44Z")

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@logankimmel I think using accessing `vars.reference` will work with `%{[vars.reference]}`, did it fail?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logankimmel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/db5fbb/32.png) [@logankimmel](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/logankimmel)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/access-json-objects-with-dot-in-key-using-string-output-codec/182047/3 "2019-05-29T22:17:18Z")

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unfortunately no. also, "vars.reference" is nested under the "json" object

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/access-json-objects-with-dot-in-key-using-string-output-codec/182047/4 "2019-06-26T22:17:20Z")

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