# Query then update documents by using scripting **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [September 2, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-then-update-documents-by-using-scripting/8914 "2012-09-02T15:38:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shawn](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/shawn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-then-update-documents-by-using-scripting/8914/1 "2012-09-02T15:38:04Z")
Hi fellows, Is there a way to do query first then update specific field of the documents returned on server side? I found there are scripting tutorials on querying and updating documents respectively, but there is nothing on combining these two together. Thanks in advance Shawn -- ---
**Author:** ![Radu\_Gheorghe1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/radu_gheorghe1/32/2688_2.png) [@Radu\_Gheorghe1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Radu_Gheorghe1)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-then-update-documents-by-using-scripting/8914/2 "2012-09-03T07:00:43Z")
Hi Shawn, One way to do it is from your application. For example, do a query, take the results, change them to whatever you want, then update them. If you have too many results, you might need to do a scroll on your search results. On Sunday, September 2, 2012 6:38:04 PM UTC+3, shawn wrote: > Hi fellows, > > Is there a way to do query first then update specific field of the > documents returned on server side? I found there are scripting tutorials on > querying and updating documents respectively, but there is nothing on > combining these two together. > > Thanks in advance > > Shawn -- ---
**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, 3:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/query-then-update-documents-by-using-scripting/8914/3 "2017-07-06T03:14:17Z")