# Curious query\_string results **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [July 2, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/curious-query-string-results/12618 "2013-07-02T14:25:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chris\_stevenson\_2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/chris_stevenson_2/32/2257_2.png) [@chris\_stevenson\_2](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/chris_stevenson_2)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/curious-query-string-results/12618/1 "2013-07-02T14:25:12Z")
Hi, I have noticed if I use { "query" : { "query\_string" : { "query" : "userid \>= 100" } } } then I get 125 results (correctly): hits: { ``` total: 125 max_score: 0.6850374 hits: [ { _index: events _type: folderid _id: 66 _source: { userid: 100 type: ADDFOLDER organisationid: 100 accountid: 400 } } ``` However, if I use { "query" : { "query\_string" : { "query" : "userid \> 100" } } } ie, just removing the '=', I get 6 results, and the userid is exactly 100: hits: { ``` total: 6 max_score: 0.42181164 hits: [ { _index: events _type: versionid _id: 66 _source: { userid: 100 type: ADDFOLDER organisationid: 100 accountid: 400 } } ... ``` As an aside, "userid\>=100" (no spaces) also just returns 6 results, with userid as 100. Any clues as to what is going on would be appreciated! thanks chris -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![javanna](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/javanna/32/4698_2.png) [@javanna](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/javanna)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/curious-query-string-results/12618/2 "2013-07-03T08:57:48Z")
Hi Chris, I don't think the syntax you're using is supported by the query\_string query. Other information that might be relevant: Did you define any mapping for the userid field? Is it analyzed? It might be interesting for you to have a look at the explain output of your query to see what the query that gets executed on the lucene level looks like. You can enable it just adding the explain:true property to your search request. If you want to execute a range query using the query\_string you should use this syntax: "userid:[100 TO \*]". But my next question is do you really need to use a query\_string? It turns out in most of the cases it's better to use a more specific query, like the range query[http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/query-dsl/range-query/](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/query-dsl/range-query/)in your case rather than the query\_string, which is more powerful but can lead to issues in the parse phase. On Tuesday, July 2, 2013 4:25:12 PM UTC+2, chris stevenson wrote: > Hi, > > I have noticed if I use > { > "query" : { > "query\_string" : { > "query" : "userid \>= 100" > } > } > } > > then I get 125 results (correctly): > hits: { > > ``` > total: 125 > max_score: 0.6850374 > hits: [ > { > _index: events > _type: folderid > _id: 66 > _source: { > > userid: 100 > type: ADDFOLDER > organisationid: 100 > accountid: 400 > } > } > > ``` > > However, if I use > { > "query" : { > "query\_string" : { > "query" : "userid \> 100" > } > } > } > ie, just removing the '=', I get 6 results, and the userid is exactly 100: > hits: { > > ``` > total: 6 > max_score: 0.42181164 > hits: [ > { > _index: events > _type: versionid > _id: 66 > _source: { > > userid: 100 > type: ADDFOLDER > organisationid: 100 > accountid: 400 > } > } > ... > > ``` > > As an aside, "userid\>=100" (no spaces) also just returns 6 results, with > userid as 100. > > Any clues as to what is going on would be appreciated! > > thanks > > chris -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![chris\_stevenson\_2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/chris_stevenson_2/32/2257_2.png) [@chris\_stevenson\_2](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/chris_stevenson_2)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 10:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/curious-query-string-results/12618/3 "2013-07-03T10:44:22Z")
Hi Luca, Thanks for your reply, it was very helpful, and works beautifully. I would love to use the range query, but am constrained by members of the team here ☹ chris On Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 9:57 AM, Luca Cavanna [cavannaluca@gmail.com](mailto:cavannaluca@gmail.com) wrote: > Hi Chris, > I don't think the syntax you're using is supported by the query\_string > query. Other information that might be relevant: Did you define any mapping > for the userid field? Is it analyzed? > > It might be interesting for you to have a look at the explain output of > your query to see what the query that gets executed on the lucene level > looks like. You can enable it just adding the explain:true property to your > search request. > > If you want to execute a range query using the query\_string you should use > this syntax: "userid:[100 TO \*]". But my next question is do you really > need to use a query\_string? It turns out in most of the cases it's better > to use a more specific query, like the range query[http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/query-dsl/range-query/](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/reference/query-dsl/range-query/)in your case rather than the query\_string, which is more powerful but can > lead to issues in the parse phase. > > On Tuesday, July 2, 2013 4:25:12 PM UTC+2, chris stevenson wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > I have noticed if I use > > { > > "query" : { > > "query\_string" : { > > "query" : "userid \>= 100" > > } > > } > > } > > > > then I get 125 results (correctly): > > hits: { > > > > ``` > > total: 125 > > max_score: 0.6850374 > > hits: [ > > { > > _index: events > > _type: folderid > > _id: 66 > > _source: { > > > > userid: 100 > > type: ADDFOLDER > > organisationid: 100 > > accountid: 400 > > } > > } > > > > ``` > > > > However, if I use > > { > > "query" : { > > "query\_string" : { > > "query" : "userid \> 100" > > } > > } > > } > > ie, just removing the '=', I get 6 results, and the userid is exactly > > 100: > > hits: { > > > > ``` > > total: 6 > > max_score: 0.42181164 > > hits: [ > > { > > _index: events > > _type: versionid > > _id: 66 > > _source: { > > > > userid: 100 > > type: ADDFOLDER > > organisationid: 100 > > accountid: 400 > > } > > } > > ... > > > > ``` > > > > As an aside, "userid\>=100" (no spaces) also just returns 6 results, with > > userid as 100. > > > > Any clues as to what is going on would be appreciated! > > > > thanks > > > > chris > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit > [https://groups.google.com/d/topic/elasticsearch/imSpSjcpnOQ/unsubscribe](https://groups.google.com/d/topic/elasticsearch/imSpSjcpnOQ/unsubscribe). > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**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, 2:28am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/curious-query-string-results/12618/4 "2017-07-06T02:28:28Z")
Closed on July 6, 2017, 2:28am UTC