# How to update a document using the Elasticsearch Update API when "\_source" is disabled? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [July 3, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-update-a-document-using-the-elasticsearch-update-api-when--source-is-disabled/18457 "2014-07-03T09:06:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Veerapuram\_Varadhan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Veerapuram\_Varadhan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Veerapuram_Varadhan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-update-a-document-using-the-elasticsearch-update-api-when--source-is-disabled/18457/1 "2014-07-03T09:06:45Z")
Hi, In my setup, ES is used for only indexing and searching and thus have disabled "\_source" to reduce storage costs and overheads. Our application does a lot of updates and when trying to partially update documents in ES, I am getting the following exception: curl -X POST "[http://localhost:9200/mydb.mycoln/mytype/C97780C0-E49E-1031-86AA-005056A564B9/\_update?refresh=false](http://localhost:9200/mydb.mycoln/mytype/C97780C0-E49E-1031-86AA-005056A564B9/_update?refresh=false)" -d ' {"doc": {"iuid": "1", "crit": 50, "stt": 0, "otype": "User", "acrtby": 1}}' {"error":"DocumentSourceMissingException[[mydb.mycoln][3] [mytype][C97780C0-E49E-1031-86AA-005056A564B9]: document source missing]","status":400} Is there anyway to workaround this and still be able to update documents partitally? Note: Each document has 600+ fields and thus, fetching all the fields and performing an complete 'index' of the document would be a performance bottleneck for the application. Best, V. Varadhan -- 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/f8bee40f-f4c7-4238-b8b2-3516400bd2ba%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/f8bee40f-f4c7-4238-b8b2-3516400bd2ba%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Ivan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/df788c/32.png) [@Ivan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Ivan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-update-a-document-using-the-elasticsearch-update-api-when--source-is-disabled/18457/2 "2014-07-03T20:50:07Z")
Source is required to update documents. If not, you would need access to the original information and re-index. -- Ivan On Thu, Jul 3, 2014 at 2:06 AM, Veerapuram Varadhan [v.varadhan@gmail.com](mailto:v.varadhan@gmail.com) wrote: > Hi, > > In my setup, ES is used for only indexing and searching and thus have > disabled "\_source" to reduce storage costs and overheads. Our application > does a lot of updates and when trying to partially update documents in ES, > I am getting the following exception: > > curl -X POST " > [http://localhost:9200/mydb.mycoln/mytype/C97780C0-E49E-1031-86AA-005056A564B9/\_update?refresh=false](http://localhost:9200/mydb.mycoln/mytype/C97780C0-E49E-1031-86AA-005056A564B9/_update?refresh=false)" > -d ' > {"doc": {"iuid": "1", "crit": 50, "stt": 0, "otype": "User", "acrtby": 1}}' > > {"error":"DocumentSourceMissingException[[mydb.mycoln][3] > [mytype][C97780C0-E49E-1031-86AA-005056A564B9]: document source > missing]","status":400} > > Is there anyway to workaround this and still be able to update documents > partitally? > > Note: Each document has 600+ fields and thus, fetching all the fields and > performing an complete 'index' of the document would be a performance > bottleneck for the application. > > Best, > > V. Varadhan > > -- > 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/f8bee40f-f4c7-4238-b8b2-3516400bd2ba%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/f8bee40f-f4c7-4238-b8b2-3516400bd2ba%40googlegroups.com) > [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/f8bee40f-f4c7-4238-b8b2-3516400bd2ba%40googlegroups.com?utm\_medium=email&utm\_source=footer](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/f8bee40f-f4c7-4238-b8b2-3516400bd2ba%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer) > . > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). -- 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/CALY%3DcQCdgQznTrUhjRtHfL0Ksy2m8%2BdDYOVUt9HhFJc29hzTrA%40mail.gmail.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CALY%3DcQCdgQznTrUhjRtHfL0Ksy2m8%2BdDYOVUt9HhFJc29hzTrA%40mail.gmail.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**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, 1:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-update-a-document-using-the-elasticsearch-update-api-when--source-is-disabled/18457/3 "2017-07-06T01:18:00Z")