# Best way to build filter for query using FilterBuilder methods? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [January 30, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-build-filter-for-query-using-filterbuilder-methods/6546 "2012-01-30T22:12:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![david\_webb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@david\_webb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/david_webb)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-build-filter-for-query-using-filterbuilder-methods/6546/1 "2012-01-30T22:12:05Z")
Hello guys, I'm new to this, please excuse me if this sounds like a dumb questions. I'm still trying to figure it out how the java API works. So I'm in need of build filters for my query (I've got between 0 to 5 filters) per search. And I'm using and "AndFilter.add" method to mix them if they were passed as a search filter. I found out it works just fine if I've got 2 or more filters. But I've noticed that if I only pass one filter the generated JSON query fails since it ends building up something like filter: { filters: { one\_filter\_here} } And ES doesn't like that. What's the best strategy to build those filters so it has the intelligence of just throw "filter" if one argument is passed, and fitler: {filters: ..}} if more that one is passed? ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-build-filter-for-query-using-filterbuilder-methods/6546/2 "2012-01-31T15:57:43Z")
Which client are you using? Can you gist the full search request that fails? The and filter can support a single filter, but it needs to exists within an array still. On Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:12 AM, david webb wrote: > Hello guys, > > I'm new to this, please excuse me if this sounds like a dumb > questions. I'm still trying to figure it out how the java API works. > > So I'm in need of build filters for my query (I've got between 0 to 5 > filters) per search. And I'm using and "AndFilter.add" method to mix > them if they were passed as a search filter. > > I found out it works just fine if I've got 2 or more filters. But I've > noticed that if I only pass one filter the generated JSON query fails > since it ends building up something like > > filter: { > filters: { one\_filter\_here} > } > > And ES doesn't like that. > > What's the best strategy to build those filters so it has the > intelligence of just throw "filter" if one argument is passed, and > fitler: {filters: ..}} if more that one is passed? ---
**Author:** ![david\_webb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@david\_webb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/david_webb)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-build-filter-for-query-using-filterbuilder-methods/6546/3 "2012-01-31T19:39:05Z")
Thanks Shay I think I found the problem, it was related to a filter but in my facet it was going empty. Cheers David On Jan 31, 10:57 am, Shay Banon [kim...@gmail.com](mailto:kim...@gmail.com) wrote: > Which client are you using? Can you gist the full search request that fails? The and filter can support a single filter, but it needs to exists within an array still. > > On Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:12 AM, david webb wrote: > > > Hello guys, > > > I'm new to this, please excuse me if this sounds like a dumb > > questions. I'm still trying to figure it out how the java API works. > > > So I'm in need of build filters for my query (I've got between 0 to 5 > > filters) per search. And I'm using and "AndFilter.add" method to mix > > them if they were passed as a search filter. > > > I found out it works just fine if I've got 2 or more filters. But I've > > noticed that if I only pass one filter the generated JSON query fails > > since it ends building up something like > > > filter: { > > filters: { one\_filter\_here} > > } > > > And ES doesn't like that. > > > What's the best strategy to build those filters so it has the > > intelligence of just throw "filter" if one argument is passed, and > > fitler: {filters: ..}} if more that one is passed? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-build-filter-for-query-using-filterbuilder-methods/6546/4 "2017-07-06T03:40:56Z")
Closed on July 6, 2017, 3:40am UTC