# Copy field value to a new field in existing index **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [March 23, 2020, 5:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595 "2020-03-23T05:58:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AClerk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/aclerk/32/55297_2.png) [@AClerk](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/AClerk)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/1 "2020-03-23T05:58:21Z")
Hey all, I had a field name with a typo. Let's say it was called Helo.keyword. I have created a new field with the correct name Hello.keyword. New data is populating the new field. How can I copy the old values to the new field created? This is a one-time operation. After the values are copied I will delete the old field from the index. I tried the following script, but it does not update any document ```auto POST /test/text/_update_by_query { "query": { "match_all": {} }, "script": "ctx._source.Hello.keyword = ctx._source.Helo.keyword" } ``` Result ```auto #! Deprecation: [types removal] Specifying types in search requests is deprecated. { "took" : 4, "timed_out" : false, "total" : 0, "updated" : 0, "deleted" : 0, "batches" : 0, "version_conflicts" : 0, "noops" : 0, "retries" : { "bulk" : 0, "search" : 0 }, "throttled_millis" : 0, "requests_per_second" : -1.0, "throttled_until_millis" : 0, "failures" : [] } ``` Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:16am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/2 "2020-03-23T08:16:45Z")
Could you provide a full recreation script as described in [About the Elasticsearch category](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/about-the-elasticsearch-category/21). It will help to better understand what you are doing. Please, try to keep the example as simple as possible. A full reproduction script will help readers to understand, reproduce and if needed fix your problem. It will also most likely help to get a faster answer. Without that it's hard to know but let's make some guesses. May be the type is actually `_doc` and not `test`. You can look also at the rename processor and the reindex API. So you reindex in a new clean index instead of keeping the old mapping around. ---
**Author:** ![AClerk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/aclerk/32/55297_2.png) [@AClerk](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/AClerk)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/3 "2020-03-24T00:43:26Z")
> [@dadoonet](#): > > Could you provide a full recreation script as described in [About the Elasticsearch category](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/about-the-elasticsearch-category/21). It will help to better understand what you are doing. Please, try to keep the example as simple as possible. > > A full reproduction script will help readers to understand, reproduce and if needed fix your problem. It will also most likely help to get a faster answer. > > Without that it's hard to know but let's make some guesses. May be the type is actually `_doc` and not `test` . > You can look also at the rename processor and the reindex API. So you reindex in a new clean index instead of keeping the old mapping around. Hi @dadoonet Thank you for the reply. I do not have a full recreation scripts as I was not involved in the entire process. Let me know what info I should provide, and I'll do it with pleasure. The script, as I understand it: POST / **test** /text/\_update\_by\_query - test is the index name POST /test/ **text** /\_update\_by\_query - text is the field type POST /test/text/ **\_update\_by\_query** - update by query is the method If my understanding is wrong, please let me know. I took the script from [here](https://stackoverflow.com/a/38006012) - [elasticsearch - Add a field copying data from another fields - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/a/38006012) Reading the [documentation here](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-update-by-query.html#picking-up-a-new-property), makes me think I have a syntax problem?! ```auto POST twitter/_update_by_query { "script": { "source": "ctx._source.likes++", "lang": "painless" }, "query": { "term": { "user": "kimchy" } } } ``` I do not want to use the re-index API, as there are multiple indices with multiple fields I need to update and I am afraid it will cause issues/a mess with the data. I prefer the approach of updating and then deleting 1 field at a time. ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/4 "2020-03-24T02:34:37Z")
Could you create a sample script with some fake data so we can start from there to help you fixing the problem? If you look at the link I provided, a sample script is something we can paste into Kibana dev console and play. look at the sample script provided in the link. ---
**Author:** ![AClerk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/aclerk/32/55297_2.png) [@AClerk](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/AClerk)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 3:23am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/5 "2020-03-24T03:23:30Z")
Hi @dadoonet This are the steps, more or less Create an index ```auto PUT test-24-03-2020 ``` Add mappings. Need also to add the keyword type, not sure how to do that. ```auto PUT /test-24-03-2020/_mapping { "properties" : { "helo" : { "type" : "text" } } } ``` Populate values ```auto PUT test-24-03-2020/_doc/1 { "helo": "test123" } ``` Add mappings. Need also to add the keyword type, not sure how to do that. ```auto PUT /test-24-03-2020/_mapping { "properties" : { "hello" : { "type" : "text" } } } ``` Now I want to copy all the values from helo to hello Hope this explains a bit more what is required Thanks ---
**Author:** ![AClerk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/aclerk/32/55297_2.png) [@AClerk](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/AClerk)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 11:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/6 "2020-03-24T23:23:35Z")
OK. I managed to copy the values from one field to another. I had a typo(?) error or logic(?) issue. The solution is ```auto POST index-patter-name-*/_update_by_query { "script": { "source": "ctx._source.destination_field= ctx._source.origin_field", "lang": "painless" }, "query": { "term": { "somefield.keyword": "somevalue" } } } ``` - Construct the query according to your specific logic. Originally I tried to use the keyword and the process failed. ```auto "source": "ctx._source.destination_field.keyword= ctx._source.origin_field.keyword", ``` Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/7 "2020-03-25T05:50:43Z")
Great. It's because the `keyword` field does not exist in the `_source` field but is generated at index time. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 5:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-field-value-to-a-new-field-in-existing-index/224595/8 "2020-04-22T05:50:50Z")
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