# Indexing arrays **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [November 17, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584 "2010-11-17T23:01:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![IvanBrusic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@IvanBrusic](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/IvanBrusic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584/1 "2010-11-17T23:01:54Z")
It seems like I am getting stuck on the simple tasks. How can I index an array via the Java API? Some simple Java code: val builder = jsonBuilder.startObject ... ArrayList[String] list = new java.util.ArrayListString list.add(.....) builder.field("somefield", list) returns: java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class java.util.ArrayList] at org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.value(XContentBuilder.java: 607) at org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.field(XContentBuilder.java: 406) builder.field("somefield", list.toArray()) =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.Object;] builder.field("somefield", list.toArray(new Array[String] (list.size()))) =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.String;] Not sure why my JVM is not calling "public XContentBuilder field(String name, Object value) throws IOException" (line 493) like my IDE thinks it should. ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584/2 "2010-11-17T23:44:40Z")
The basic construct the create an array is something list this: builder.startObject().startArray("field\_name").value("1").value("2").endArray().endObject() There are helper methods to simplify it, specifically: builder#field(String, Object...), and builder#array(String, String...) which uses the above API. Let me add the same for Iterable, should help with Collections. -shay.banon On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:01 AM, Ivan Brusic [ivan\_brusic@yahoo.com](mailto:ivan_brusic@yahoo.com) wrote: > It seems like I am getting stuck on the simple tasks. How can I index > an array via the Java API? > > Some simple Java code: > > val builder = jsonBuilder.startObject > ... > ArrayList[String] list = new java.util.ArrayListString > list.add(.....) > builder.field("somefield", list) > > returns: > java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class java.util.ArrayList] > at > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.value(XContentBuilder.java: > 607) > at > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.field(XContentBuilder.java: > 406) > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray()) > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.Object;] > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray(new Array[String] > (list.size()))) > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.String;] > > Not sure why my JVM is not calling "public XContentBuilder > field(String name, Object value) throws IOException" (line 493) like > my IDE thinks it should. ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584/3 "2010-11-17T23:52:44Z")
Sorry, thats strange, there is a method for field(String fieldName, List values) .... On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:44 AM, Shay Banon [shay.banon@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.banon@elasticsearch.com)wrote: > The basic construct the create an array is something list this: > > builder.startObject().startArray("field\_name").value("1").value("2").endArray().endObject() > > There are helper methods to simplify it, specifically: > builder#field(String, Object...), and builder#array(String, String...) which > uses the above API. > > Let me add the same for Iterable, should help with Collections. > > -shay.banon > > On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:01 AM, Ivan Brusic [ivan\_brusic@yahoo.com](mailto:ivan_brusic@yahoo.com)wrote: > > > It seems like I am getting stuck on the simple tasks. How can I index > > an array via the Java API? > > > > Some simple Java code: > > > > val builder = jsonBuilder.startObject > > ... > > ArrayList[String] list = new java.util.ArrayListString > > list.add(.....) > > builder.field("somefield", list) > > > > returns: > > java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class java.util.ArrayList] > > at > > > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.value(XContentBuilder.java: > > 607) > > at > > > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.field(XContentBuilder.java: > > 406) > > > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray()) > > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.Object;] > > > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray(new Array[String] > > (list.size()))) > > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.String;] > > > > Not sure why my JVM is not calling "public XContentBuilder > > field(String name, Object value) throws IOException" (line 493) like > > my IDE thinks it should. ---
**Author:** ![IvanBrusic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@IvanBrusic](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/IvanBrusic)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584/4 "2010-11-18T00:18:06Z")
That was the point that I made at the bottom of my post. The method: public XContentBuilder field(XContentBuilderString name, List value) should be getting called Instead the method: public XContentBuilder field(String name, Object... value) is getting called, where the value of "value" is something like a vararg of one. Bizarre. I am using scala, so perhaps the byte code that is generated is out-of- sync. Would have seen problems long ago. Perhaps I have never called an overloaded method that accepts either a List or a vararg of Object. Will ask a Scala list about it. But as always, the solution was under my nose. I completely glossed over "startArray". I was focusing on field(...) and other possible builders. startArray works like a charm. Thanks again, Ivan On Nov 17, 6:52 pm, Shay Banon [shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com) wrote: > Sorry, thats strange, there is a method for field(String fieldName, List > values) .... > > On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:44 AM, Shay Banon [shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com)wrote: > > > The basic construct the create an array is something list this: > > > builder.startObject().startArray("field\_name").value("1").value("2").endArr ay().endObject() > > > There are helper methods to simplify it, specifically: > > builder#field(String, Object...), and builder#array(String, String...) which > > uses the above API. > > > Let me add the same for Iterable, should help with Collections. > > > -shay.banon > > > On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:01 AM, Ivan Brusic [ivan\_bru...@yahoo.com](mailto:ivan_bru...@yahoo.com)wrote: > > > > It seems like I am getting stuck on the simple tasks. How can I index > > > an array via the Java API? > > > > Some simple Java code: > > > > val builder = jsonBuilder.startObject > > > ... > > > ArrayList[String] list = new java.util.ArrayListString > > > list.add(.....) > > > builder.field("somefield", list) > > > > returns: > > > java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class java.util.ArrayList] > > > at > > > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.value(XContentBuilder.jav a: > > > 607) > > > at > > > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.field(XContentBuilder.jav a: > > > 406) > > > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray()) > > > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.Object;] > > > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray(new Array[String] > > > (list.size()))) > > > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.String;] > > > > Not sure why my JVM is not calling "public XContentBuilder > > > field(String name, Object value) throws IOException" (line 493) like > > > my IDE thinks it should. ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584/5 "2010-11-18T00:26:43Z")
Yea, varargs are a pain and there used to be bugs in earlier JVM versions in handling it correctly... . Not sure how scala does it... . Just added a test for it, which seems to work fine (in java): ``` @Test public void testOverloadedList() throws Exception { XContentBuilder builder = ``` XContentFactory.contentBuilder(XContentType.JSON); builder.startObject().field("test", Lists.newArrayList("1", "2")).endObject(); assertThat(builder.string(), equalTo("{"test":["1","2"]}")); } As as a side note, would love for a Scala client built on top of the Java client with a more scala feel for it. -shay.banon On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 2:18 AM, Ivan Brusic [ivan\_brusic@yahoo.com](mailto:ivan_brusic@yahoo.com) wrote: > That was the point that I made at the bottom of my post. > > The method: > public XContentBuilder field(XContentBuilderString name, List > value) > should be getting called > > Instead the method: > public XContentBuilder field(String name, Object... value) > is getting called, where the value of "value" is something like a > vararg of one. Bizarre. > > I am using scala, so perhaps the byte code that is generated is out-of- > sync. Would have seen problems long ago. Perhaps I have never called > an overloaded method that accepts either a List or a vararg of > Object. Will ask a Scala list about it. > > But as always, the solution was under my nose. I completely glossed > over "startArray". I was focusing on field(...) and other possible > builders. startArray works like a charm. > > Thanks again, > > Ivan > > On Nov 17, 6:52 pm, Shay Banon [shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com) wrote: > > > Sorry, thats strange, there is a method for field(String fieldName, List > > values) .... > > > > On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:44 AM, Shay Banon \< > > [shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com)\>wrote: > > > > > The basic construct the create an array is something list this: > > > > > > > builder.startObject().startArray("field\_name").value("1").value("2").endArr > ay().endObject() > > > > There are helper methods to simplify it, specifically: > > > builder#field(String, Object...), and builder#array(String, String...) > > > which > > > uses the above API. > > > > > Let me add the same for Iterable, should help with Collections. > > > > > -shay.banon > > > > > On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 1:01 AM, Ivan Brusic \<[ivan\_bru...@yahoo.com](mailto:ivan_bru...@yahoo.com) > > > wrote: > > > > > > It seems like I am getting stuck on the simple tasks. How can I index > > > > an array via the Java API? > > > > > > Some simple Java code: > > > > > > val builder = jsonBuilder.startObject > > > > ... > > > > ArrayList[String] list = new java.util.ArrayListString > > > > list.add(.....) > > > > builder.field("somefield", list) > > > > > > returns: > > > > java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class java.util.ArrayList] > > > > at > > > > > > > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.value(XContentBuilder.jav > a: > > > > > 1. at > > > > > > > > org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder.field(XContentBuilder.jav > a: > > > > > 1. > > > > > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray()) > > > > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.Object;] > > > > > > builder.field("somefield", list.toArray(new Array[String] > > > > (list.size()))) > > > > =\> java.io.IOException: Type not allowed [class [Ljava.lang.String;] > > > > > > Not sure why my JVM is not calling "public XContentBuilder > > > > field(String name, Object value) throws IOException" (line 493) like > > > > my IDE thinks it should. ---
**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, 4:16am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/indexing-arrays/3584/6 "2017-07-06T04:16:20Z")