# How to catch errors in output plugin?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-catch-errors-in-output-plugin/60297
**Category:** Logstash
**Created:** [September 12, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-catch-errors-in-output-plugin/60297 "2016-09-12T13:46:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tiwilliam](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tiwilliam)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-catch-errors-in-output-plugin/60297/1 "2016-09-12T13:46:17Z")
Hi,
I'm trying to write a tag or a field in `@metadata` in an output plugin but can't match that value in a if statement.
Here's the output block:
```auto
output {
something {
...setting the tag/field inside this plugin...
}
if "_outputfailed" in [tags] {
statsd {
increment => ["fail"]
}
} else {
statsd {
increment => ["success"]
}
}
}
```
I can clearly see the tag if I send the event to stdout, same thing with the `@metadata` field, it's there and it's an integer, but I can't match against it. I've also tried to use the value in the statsd increment call like: `fail_%{[@metadata][output_status]}`, that's always set to the expected output status and renders `fail_200`. I've tried matching both strings and integers, exact match and in list matches, nothing works.
Statements I've tested, all failing, value of the `@metadata` field is `200`:
```auto
if "_outputfailed" in [tags]
if [tags] in ["_outputfailed"]
if [@metadata][output_status] == 200
if [@metadata][output_status] == "200"
if [@metadata][output_status] in [200, 201]
if [@metadata][output_status] in ["200", "201"]
```
So my question is, can I set a field or tag in an output plugin and match against it? Or how can I see if my output filter got an error and handle it?
-- William
---
### Author:  [@krzysztof\_pl](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/krzysztof_pl)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-catch-errors-in-output-plugin/60297/2 "2016-10-21T13:40:25Z")
hi,
just to make sure: Do you remember about 'curly braces'?
I mean: you always have got`if [tags] in ["_outputfailed"] { ... }` ,right?
Did you test config file? Simple syntax test:
`sudo /opt/logstash/bin/logstash -f /path-to-file/mylogstash.conf --configtest`
I am not saying that it covers 100% cases, nor detect all errors, but above command
is really helpful.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-catch-errors-in-output-plugin/60297/3 "2017-07-06T04:33:16Z")