# Highlighting - limit number of highlights across fields **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [February 5, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/highlighting-limit-number-of-highlights-across-fields/15623 "2014-02-05T16:38:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Michael\_Stringer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/michael_stringer/32/1822_2.png) [@Michael\_Stringer](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Michael_Stringer)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/highlighting-limit-number-of-highlights-across-fields/15623/1 "2014-02-05T16:38:33Z")
Is there a way to limit the total number of highlights returned across all fields? I know that you can set number\_of\_fragments in the top level settings but this is the same as setting it for each field (instead of limiting the total). Example Query: { "query": { "multi\_match": { "query": "event", "fields": ["note", "subject"] } }, "highlight": { "fragment\_size": 50, "number\_of\_fragments": 1, "fields": { "subject": {}, "body": {} } } } Example results: { ... "hits": [ { "\_index": "test", "\_type": "emails", "\_id": "181", "\_score": 6.82249, "\_source": { "subject": "Upcoming event on the 25th July", "body": "We need to prepare for the upcoming event that is going to take place on the 25th July." ... }, "highlight": { "subject": [ "Upcoming _event_ on the 25th July" ], "body": [ "We need to prepare for the upcoming _event_ that is..." ] } } ] } What I'm after: { ... "hits": [ { "\_index": "test", "\_type": "emails", "\_id": "181", "\_score": 6.82249, "\_source": { "subject": "Upcoming event on the 25th July", "body": "We need to prepare for the upcoming event that is going to take place on the 25th July." ... }, "highlight": { "body": [ "We need to prepare for the upcoming _event_ that is..." ] } } ] } (note only 1 highlight is returned) -- 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). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/43c1ffaa-fa7e-4104-ab29-4d057d162e77%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/43c1ffaa-fa7e-4104-ab29-4d057d162e77%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![nik9000](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nik9000/32/44947_2.png) [@nik9000](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nik9000)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/highlighting-limit-number-of-highlights-across-fields/15623/2 "2014-02-05T17:04:12Z")
No, there isn't a way to do that. Just throwing away the extra results is generally not a big deal unless the field is very expensive to highlight. I've found highlighting to be reasonably cheap most of the time. On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 11:38 AM, Michael Stringer \< [michael.stringer@zestia.com](mailto:michael.stringer@zestia.com)\> wrote: > Is there a way to limit the total number of highlights returned across all > fields? > > I know that you can set number\_of\_fragments in the top level settings but > this is the same as setting it for each field (instead of limiting the > total). > > Example Query: > { > "query": { > "multi\_match": { > "query": "event", > "fields": ["note", "subject"] > } > }, > "highlight": { > "fragment\_size": 50, > "number\_of\_fragments": 1, > "fields": { > "subject": {}, > "body": {} > } > } > } > > Example results: > > { > ... > "hits": [ > { > "\_index": "test", > "\_type": "emails", > "\_id": "181", > "\_score": 6.82249, > "\_source": { > "subject": "Upcoming event on the 25th July", > "body": "We need to prepare for the upcoming event that is going > to take place on the 25th July." > ... > }, > "highlight": { > "subject": [ > "Upcoming _event_ on the 25th July" > ], > "body": [ > "We need to prepare for the upcoming _event_ that is..." > ] > } > } > ] > } > > What I'm after: > > { > ... > "hits": [ > { > "\_index": "test", > "\_type": "emails", > "\_id": "181", > "\_score": 6.82249, > "\_source": { > "subject": "Upcoming event on the 25th July", > "body": "We need to prepare for the upcoming event that is going > to take place on the 25th July." > ... > }, > "highlight": { > "body": [ > "We need to prepare for the upcoming _event_ that is..." > ] > } > } > ] > } > (note only 1 highlight is returned) > > -- > 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). > To view this discussion on the web visit > [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/43c1ffaa-fa7e-4104-ab29-4d057d162e77%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/43c1ffaa-fa7e-4104-ab29-4d057d162e77%40googlegroups.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). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CAPmjWd0YDUJphg9\_Hhmfh00ctwEz7tOHT4H0Ksi7FRaJo1nKgw%40mail.gmail.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CAPmjWd0YDUJphg9_Hhmfh00ctwEz7tOHT4H0Ksi7FRaJo1nKgw%40mail.gmail.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, 1:52am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/highlighting-limit-number-of-highlights-across-fields/15623/3 "2017-07-06T01:52:20Z")