# Add an extra flag in ES query to check if a field exists
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [February 19, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892 "2014-02-19T10:14:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@rubyprince](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rubyprince)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892/1 "2014-02-19T10:14:35Z")
Hi all,
Please see
this [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21875375/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21875375/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists)
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### Author:  [@Binh\_Ly](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Binh_Ly)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892/2 "2014-02-19T14:51:23Z")
I'd check that the field arranged\_retweets exists in your mapping. If it
doesn't exist in the mapping, try to add it. After that, your query should
start returning results regardless of whether the documents indexed have
that field populated or not.
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### Author:  [@rubyprince](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rubyprince)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892/3 "2014-02-19T15:40:03Z")
arranged\_retweets do exist in the mapping. I have updated the question
([elasticsearch - Add an extra flag in ES query to check if a field exists - Stack Overflow](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21875375/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists))
with the mapping
On Wednesday, February 19, 2014 8:21:23 PM UTC+5:30, Binh Ly wrote:
> I'd check that the field arranged\_retweets exists in your mapping. If it
> doesn't exist in the mapping, try to add it. After that, your query should
> start returning results regardless of whether the documents indexed have
> that field populated or not.
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### Author:  [@Binh\_Ly](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Binh_Ly)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892/4 "2014-02-19T16:22:54Z")
I see, looks like it's an object so you'd probably need to check down to
the leaf level, like for example:
doc["arranged\_retweets.author\_gender"].isEmpty() ||
doc["arranged\_retweets.author\_link"].isEmpty()
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### Author:  [@rubyprince](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rubyprince)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2014, 9:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892/5 "2014-02-26T09:31:14Z")
Hi, many thanks for the pointer. I didnt try the code you mentioned, but
changed my code like this:
"script": "!doc['arranged\_retweets.author\_gender'].empty"
This worked for me. Thank you very much for your help.
On Wednesday, February 19, 2014 9:52:54 PM UTC+5:30, Binh Ly wrote:
> I see, looks like it's an object so you'd probably need to check down to
> the leaf level, like for example:
>
> doc["arranged\_retweets.author\_gender"].isEmpty() ||
> doc["arranged\_retweets.author\_link"].isEmpty()
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### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/add-an-extra-flag-in-es-query-to-check-if-a-field-exists/15892/6 "2017-07-06T01:47:17Z")