# Changing the analyzer used on a specific index type mapping **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [January 17, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394 "2013-01-17T16:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derry\_O\_Sullivan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@Derry\_O\_Sullivan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Derry_O_Sullivan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394/1 "2013-01-17T16:13:23Z")
Hi there, I have a 3 different types ("general", "action", "language") on an index ("data") Both the "action" and "language" types have a field called "locale" which i use (together with a mapping analyzer: [http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/mapping/analyzer-field.html](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/mapping/analyzer-field.html)) to allow me to deal with different language inputs. e.g: {"action":{"\_analyzer":{"path":"locale"},"properties":{..."locale":{"type":"string","index":"not\_analyzed"}}}} I already have the analyzer settings set up on my index ("data") like in [http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/index-modules/analysis/](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/index-modules/analysis/) Due to requirements change, i now want the the same behaviour on the "general" type - the ability to store analyzed text in certain fields based on the locale. The index/type already has data in it but that data all went in using the default english analyzer; now i want to use other languages based on the locale field. (i.e. there will now be multiple languages rather than just english). I've been trying to update the mapping for this and it does not update correctly; is there anyway to do this with out a) reindexing and/or b) deleting the mapping(and data) and recreating? I understand in general that you do not want to completely change an analyzer but here i just want to modify the existing one to support more languages and it seems to me that the existing/new tokenised data should be ok? (e.g. change from just english -\> english and spanish) Thanks in advance, Derry -- ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Motov](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/igor_motov/32/45193_2.png) [@Igor\_Motov](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Igor_Motov)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394/2 "2013-01-18T19:26:53Z")
Unfortunately, some mapping parameters, including analyzer field path cannot be changed once they are set. When you created mapping for the "general" field, the analyzer field was set to "\_analyzer" and now elasticsearch will not allow you to change it to "locale" without recreating the mapping. It might be inconvenient, but I think the best thing you can do here is to just use the field "\_analyzer" for the new type. The only other alternative that I can think of is to create a new index with the same name but new mapping and then while cluster is down, merge metadata from the new index with data from the old index. But because it's quite dangerous and cumbersome, I cannot really recommend doing this. On Thursday, January 17, 2013 11:13:23 AM UTC-5, Derry O' Sullivan wrote: > Hi there, > > I have a 3 different types ("general", "action", "language") on an index > ("data") > > Both the "action" and "language" types have a field called "locale" which > i use (together with a mapping analyzer: > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/mapping/analyzer-field.html)) > to allow me to deal with different language inputs. e.g: > > {"action":{"\_analyzer":{"path":"locale"},"properties":{..."locale":{"type":"string","index":"not\_analyzed"}}}} > > I already have the analyzer settings set up on my index ("data") like in > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/index-modules/analysis/) > > Due to requirements change, i now want the the same behaviour on the > "general" type - the ability to store analyzed text in certain fields based > on the locale. The index/type already has data in it but that data all went > in using the default english analyzer; now i want to use other languages > based on the locale field. (i.e. there will now be multiple languages > rather than just english). > > I've been trying to update the mapping for this and it does not update > correctly; is there anyway to do this with out a) reindexing and/or b) > deleting the mapping(and data) and recreating? > > I understand in general that you do not want to completely change an > analyzer but here i just want to modify the existing one to support more > languages and it seems to me that the existing/new tokenised data should be > ok? (e.g. change from just english -\> english and spanish) > > Thanks in advance, > > Derry -- ---
**Author:** ![Derry\_O\_Sullivan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@Derry\_O\_Sullivan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Derry_O_Sullivan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394/3 "2013-01-21T14:28:07Z")
HI Igor, thanks for the response. Just to clarify - "general" is not a field, it's an index type. I want to use a 'new' field called "locale" to be used to allow language specific analysis. So can i not change the analyzer at all once it is already created, or is it because i am creating a 'dynamic' analyser based on another field? Derry On Friday, 18 January 2013 19:26:53 UTC, Igor Motov wrote: > Unfortunately, some mapping parameters, including analyzer field path > cannot be changed once they are set. When you created mapping for the > "general" field, the analyzer field was set to "\_analyzer" and now > elasticsearch will not allow you to change it to "locale" without > recreating the mapping. It might be inconvenient, but I think the best > thing you can do here is to just use the field "\_analyzer" for the new > type. > > The only other alternative that I can think of is to create a new index > with the same name but new mapping and then while cluster is down, merge > metadata from the new index with data from the old index. But because it's > quite dangerous and cumbersome, I cannot really recommend doing this. > > On Thursday, January 17, 2013 11:13:23 AM UTC-5, Derry O' Sullivan wrote: > > > Hi there, > > > > I have a 3 different types ("general", "action", "language") on an index > > ("data") > > > > Both the "action" and "language" types have a field called "locale" which > > i use (together with a mapping analyzer: > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/mapping/analyzer-field.html)) > > to allow me to deal with different language inputs. e.g: > > > > {"action":{"\_analyzer":{"path":"locale"},"properties":{..."locale":{"type":"string","index":"not\_analyzed"}}}} > > > > I already have the analyzer settings set up on my index ("data") like in > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/index-modules/analysis/) > > > > Due to requirements change, i now want the the same behaviour on the > > "general" type - the ability to store analyzed text in certain fields based > > on the locale. The index/type already has data in it but that data all went > > in using the default english analyzer; now i want to use other languages > > based on the locale field. (i.e. there will now be multiple languages > > rather than just english). > > > > I've been trying to update the mapping for this and it does not update > > correctly; is there anyway to do this with out a) reindexing and/or b) > > deleting the mapping(and data) and recreating? > > > > I understand in general that you do not want to completely change an > > analyzer but here i just want to modify the existing one to support more > > languages and it seems to me that the existing/new tokenised data should be > > ok? (e.g. change from just english -\> english and spanish) > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > Derry -- ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Motov](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/igor_motov/32/45193_2.png) [@Igor\_Motov](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Igor_Motov)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394/4 "2013-01-21T14:52:00Z")
Sorry, I meant to write "When you created mapping for the "general" type....". Currently the "general" type is set to use the path "\_analyzer" to look up document specific analyzer. Every time you index a document with the "general" type, elasticsearch checks the field "\_analyzer" in case something is specified there to be used as an analyzer for the document. Obviously, you didn't ever use this field, but elasticsearch doesn't really know that. So, when you are trying to rename this path from "\_analyzer" to "locale" elasticsearch doesn't allow you to do that to avoid inconsistency (old documents indexed using analyzer specified by the field "\_analyzer" and new documents indexed using analyzer specified by the field "locale"). Does it make sense? On Monday, January 21, 2013 9:28:07 AM UTC-5, Derry O' Sullivan wrote: > HI Igor, > > thanks for the response. > > Just to clarify - "general" is not a field, it's an index type. I want to > use a 'new' field called "locale" to be used to allow language specific > analysis. > > So can i not change the analyzer at all once it is already created, or is > it because i am creating a 'dynamic' analyser based on another field? > > Derry > > On Friday, 18 January 2013 19:26:53 UTC, Igor Motov wrote: > > > Unfortunately, some mapping parameters, including analyzer field path > > cannot be changed once they are set. When you created mapping for the > > "general" field, the analyzer field was set to "\_analyzer" and now > > elasticsearch will not allow you to change it to "locale" without > > recreating the mapping. It might be inconvenient, but I think the best > > thing you can do here is to just use the field "\_analyzer" for the new > > type. > > > > The only other alternative that I can think of is to create a new index > > with the same name but new mapping and then while cluster is down, merge > > metadata from the new index with data from the old index. But because it's > > quite dangerous and cumbersome, I cannot really recommend doing this. > > > > On Thursday, January 17, 2013 11:13:23 AM UTC-5, Derry O' Sullivan wrote: > > > > > Hi there, > > > > > > I have a 3 different types ("general", "action", "language") on an > > > index ("data") > > > > > > Both the "action" and "language" types have a field called "locale" > > > which i use (together with a mapping analyzer: > > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/mapping/analyzer-field.html)) > > > to allow me to deal with different language inputs. e.g: > > > > > > {"action":{"\_analyzer":{"path":"locale"},"properties":{..."locale":{"type":"string","index":"not\_analyzed"}}}} > > > > > > I already have the analyzer settings set up on my index ("data") like in > > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/index-modules/analysis/) > > > > > > Due to requirements change, i now want the the same behaviour on the > > > "general" type - the ability to store analyzed text in certain fields based > > > on the locale. The index/type already has data in it but that data all went > > > in using the default english analyzer; now i want to use other languages > > > based on the locale field. (i.e. there will now be multiple languages > > > rather than just english). > > > > > > I've been trying to update the mapping for this and it does not update > > > correctly; is there anyway to do this with out a) reindexing and/or b) > > > deleting the mapping(and data) and recreating? > > > > > > I understand in general that you do not want to completely change an > > > analyzer but here i just want to modify the existing one to support more > > > languages and it seems to me that the existing/new tokenised data should be > > > ok? (e.g. change from just english -\> english and spanish) > > > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > > > Derry -- ---
**Author:** ![Derry\_O\_Sullivan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@Derry\_O\_Sullivan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Derry_O_Sullivan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394/5 "2013-01-21T17:38:59Z")
Yup, thanks for the clarificiation. I have the raw data so i think it makes sense to reindex ;-( On Monday, 21 January 2013 14:52:00 UTC, Igor Motov wrote: > Sorry, I meant to write "When you created mapping for the "general" > type....". Currently the "general" type is set to use the path "\_analyzer" > to look up document specific analyzer. Every time you index a document with > the "general" type, elasticsearch checks the field "\_analyzer" in case > something is specified there to be used as an analyzer for the document. > Obviously, you didn't ever use this field, but elasticsearch doesn't really > know that. So, when you are trying to rename this path from "\_analyzer" to > "locale" elasticsearch doesn't allow you to do that to > avoid inconsistency (old documents indexed using analyzer specified by the > field "\_analyzer" and new documents indexed using analyzer specified by the > field "locale"). Does it make sense? > > On Monday, January 21, 2013 9:28:07 AM UTC-5, Derry O' Sullivan wrote: > > > HI Igor, > > > > thanks for the response. > > > > Just to clarify - "general" is not a field, it's an index type. I want to > > use a 'new' field called "locale" to be used to allow language specific > > analysis. > > > > So can i not change the analyzer at all once it is already created, or is > > it because i am creating a 'dynamic' analyser based on another field? > > > > Derry > > > > On Friday, 18 January 2013 19:26:53 UTC, Igor Motov wrote: > > > > > Unfortunately, some mapping parameters, including analyzer field path > > > cannot be changed once they are set. When you created mapping for the > > > "general" field, the analyzer field was set to "\_analyzer" and now > > > elasticsearch will not allow you to change it to "locale" without > > > recreating the mapping. It might be inconvenient, but I think the best > > > thing you can do here is to just use the field "\_analyzer" for the new > > > type. > > > > > > The only other alternative that I can think of is to create a new index > > > with the same name but new mapping and then while cluster is down, merge > > > metadata from the new index with data from the old index. But because it's > > > quite dangerous and cumbersome, I cannot really recommend doing this. > > > > > > On Thursday, January 17, 2013 11:13:23 AM UTC-5, Derry O' Sullivan wrote: > > > > > > > Hi there, > > > > > > > > I have a 3 different types ("general", "action", "language") on an > > > > index ("data") > > > > > > > > Both the "action" and "language" types have a field called "locale" > > > > which i use (together with a mapping analyzer: > > > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/mapping/analyzer-field.html)) > > > > to allow me to deal with different language inputs. e.g: > > > > > > > > {"action":{"\_analyzer":{"path":"locale"},"properties":{..."locale":{"type":"string","index":"not\_analyzed"}}}} > > > > > > > > I already have the analyzer settings set up on my index ("data") like > > > > in [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/index-modules/analysis/) > > > > > > > > Due to requirements change, i now want the the same behaviour on the > > > > "general" type - the ability to store analyzed text in certain fields based > > > > on the locale. The index/type already has data in it but that data all went > > > > in using the default english analyzer; now i want to use other languages > > > > based on the locale field. (i.e. there will now be multiple languages > > > > rather than just english). > > > > > > > > I've been trying to update the mapping for this and it does not update > > > > correctly; is there anyway to do this with out a) reindexing and/or b) > > > > deleting the mapping(and data) and recreating? > > > > > > > > I understand in general that you do not want to completely change an > > > > analyzer but here i just want to modify the existing one to support more > > > > languages and it seems to me that the existing/new tokenised data should be > > > > ok? (e.g. change from just english -\> english and spanish) > > > > > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > > > > > Derry -- ---
**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, 2:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/changing-the-analyzer-used-on-a-specific-index-type-mapping/10394/6 "2017-07-06T02:55:22Z")