# External configuration and 'type'

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/external-configuration-and-type/151457>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Tags:** filebeat\
**Created:** [October 8, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/external-configuration-and-type/151457 "2018-10-08T13:06:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![YvorL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9fc348/32.png) [@YvorL](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/YvorL)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/external-configuration-and-type/151457/1 "2018-10-08T13:06:57Z")

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Hi,

When I set up an external config file with:

> ```
> - type: log
> 
> ```

The index gets populated with "input.type" **and**"prospector.type". (whole stack is updated to 6.4.2)  
If I change that to:

> ```
> - input.type: log
> 
> ```

None of the above are indexed. I'd like to avoid duplication but if I can't I rather have none of the fields.  
Any suggestion?

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![steffens](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/steffens/32/79630_2.png) [@steffens](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/steffens)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 10:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/external-configuration-and-type/151457/2 "2018-10-09T10:41:43Z")

</div>

There is no setting named `input.type`. The field `input.type` is new and beats still report `prospector.type` for backwards compatibility reasons. The field `prospector.type` will be removed in the future. You can use the [drop\_fields](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/beats/filebeat/current/drop-fields.html) processor to remove `prospector` sub-documented.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![YvorL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9fc348/32.png) [@YvorL](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/YvorL)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/external-configuration-and-type/151457/3 "2018-10-09T13:57:36Z")

</div>

When I tried 'drop\_fields' with adding `prospector.type`, it didn't work, but with `prospector`it works as expected.

Thank you!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/external-configuration-and-type/151457/4 "2018-11-06T13:57:38Z")

</div>

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