# Deleting index with cryptic name metrics\_%{\_retention}\_2015.11.13 **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [November 24, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/deleting-index-with-cryptic-name-metrics---retention--2015-11-13/35452 "2015-11-24T12:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lwintergerst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/lwintergerst/32/18164_2.png) [@lwintergerst](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/lwintergerst)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/deleting-index-with-cryptic-name-metrics---retention--2015-11-13/35452/1 "2015-11-24T12:59:44Z")
Hi, i messed up a logstash config an created this nice index: > metrics\_%{\_retention} \_2015.11.13 Trying to delete it gives me this output: > curl -XDELETE [http://127.0.0.1:9202/metrics\_%{\_retention}\_2015](http://127.0.0.1:9202/metrics_%25%7B_retention%7D_2015). 11.13 > {"error":"IllegalArgumentException[invalid escape sequence `%_r' at index 8 of metrics_%\_retention\_2015.11.13]","status":500} trying to escape it: > [root@prod00elastic12 wintelu]# curl -XDELETE [http://127.0.0.1:9202/metrics\_%\{\_retention\}\_201](http://127.0.0.1:9202/metrics_%25%5C%7B_retention%5C%7D_201) 5.11.13 > {"error":"IllegalArgumentException[invalid escape sequence `%_r' at index 8 of: metrics_%\_retention\_2015.11.13]","status":500} Is my only chance to disable the ''delete by name' setting and use wildcards, or is there another way to do so? Luca ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/deleting-index-with-cryptic-name-metrics---retention--2015-11-13/35452/2 "2017-07-05T23:36:17Z")