# Query a field that has a colon

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-a-field-that-has-a-colon/323966
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [January 25, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-a-field-that-has-a-colon/323966 "2023-01-25T20:01:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ilias\_ioannou](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ilias_ioannou/32/116404_2.png) [@ilias\_ioannou](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ilias_ioannou)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-a-field-that-has-a-colon/323966/1 "2023-01-25T20:01:59Z")

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Hello,

Is it possible to use elasticsearch dsl python client to implement a query that will run against a filed with colon?

For example if a field is this `properties.grid:code` then a successfull query would be the following:

```auto
 "query": {
   "bool": {
     "must": {
         "match": {  
               "properties.grid:code": "MGRS-47RPH"
             }
     }
   }
 }
}

```

or even

```auto
{
  "query": {
    "term": {
        "properties.grid:code": {
                            "value": "MGRS-47RPH"
                        }
    }
  }
}

```

I fail though to do it in python's _elasticsearch\_dsl/search.py_  
where the above is translated as

```auto
Search.filter("term", properties__grid<???>=<some_string_here>)

```

Any suggestions?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![carly.richmond](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/carly.richmond/32/104935_2.png) [@carly.richmond](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/carly.richmond)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2023, 1:56pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-a-field-that-has-a-colon/323966/2 "2023-01-26T13:56:17Z")

</div>

Hi ilias\_ioannou,

I'm not aware of a way around it. Using some characters including colons ( : ) in the name can be problematic. Are you able to change your colon character to something else such as underscore ( \_ )?

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ilias\_ioannou](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ilias_ioannou/32/116404_2.png) [@ilias\_ioannou](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ilias_ioannou)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2023, 9:34am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-a-field-that-has-a-colon/323966/3 "2023-01-27T09:34:21Z")

</div>

Hi thanks for replying .I m afraid that this is not an option

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2023, 9:35am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-a-field-that-has-a-colon/323966/4 "2023-02-24T09:35:19Z")

</div>

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