# Feature Request: Enforce consistent position\_increment\_gap in multi-fields for multi-values

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [April 13, 2021, 10:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067 "2021-04-13T22:43:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/michael_sander/32/838_2.png) [@Michael\_Sander](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Michael_Sander)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 10:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067/1 "2021-04-13T22:43:18Z")

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Hi ES Community,

I recently found some confusing behavior with a mapping and multi-fields, and it would be nice if Elasticsearch would prevent you from shooting yourself in the foot (like I did).

The issue arises when you use a `position_increment_gap` in a multi-field inconsistently. Apparently, the `position_increment_gap` on an outer field is not automatically applied to the inner fields. So, in the example mapping below, the inner `unstemmed` field will have a different `position_increment_gap`. When you index multi-value docs on this multi-field, the term vectors for the two fields are inconsistent, and `span_near` queries will not work across the fields.

```auto
      "properties": {
          "text": {
            "analyzer": "main_analyzer", 
            "type": "text", 
            "position_increment_gap": 1000,
            "fields": {
              "unstemmed": {
                "analyzer": "unstemmed_analyzer", 
                "type": "text", 
              }
            }
          }
     }

```

This type of mistake could have been avoided if one of the following was fixed:

- Apply the `position_increment_gap` of a field to any inner multi-fields (note: this may break mappings).
- Require all multi-fields that use a `position_increment_gap` to explicitly set it on each field.
- Emit some sort of warning somewhere.
- At least acknowledge this gotcha in the docs on `position_increment_gap` and/or multi-fields.

Thanks for listening!

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**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067/2 "2021-04-13T22:47:12Z")

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Feature requests are best put into GitHub 🙂

> **[elastic/elasticsearch](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues)**
>
> s

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Michael\_Sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/michael_sander/32/838_2.png) [@Michael\_Sander](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Michael_Sander)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067/3 "2021-04-13T22:54:56Z")

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Okay, posted: [[Docs or Feature Request] Enforce consistent position\_increment\_gap in multi-fields for multi-values · Issue #71659 · elastic/elasticsearch · GitHub](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/71659)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067/4 "2021-04-13T22:55:47Z")

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Thanks 😃

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/feature-request-enforce-consistent-position-increment-gap-in-multi-fields-for-multi-values/270067/5 "2021-05-11T22:55:48Z")

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