# Sorting by phrase instead of sorting by term **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [April 3, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-by-phrase-instead-of-sorting-by-term/16806 "2014-04-03T19:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vladimir\_Khazin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Vladimir\_Khazin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Vladimir_Khazin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-by-phrase-instead-of-sorting-by-term/16806/1 "2014-04-03T19:58:43Z")
_Stripped down sample data_: "hits": [ { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "014ac4d4-09ec-4319-97d0-29ed004bf20c", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "014ac4d4-09ec-4319-97d0-29ed004bf20c", "Title": "Battle of the Year: Pressure" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "0d27e5db-31d6-422d-a91e-2d7b4cddb2cd", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "0d27e5db-31d6-422d-a91e-2d7b4cddb2cd", "Title": "The Grandmaster: Train Fight (MBR DRM test)" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "2a70e840-3608-40df-a47e-2e893ce17d81", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "2a70e840-3608-40df-a47e-2e893ce17d81", "Title": "CBGB: The Ramones" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "78c21b5a-16de-419d-b655-2ca400dddf07", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "78c21b5a-16de-419d-b655-2ca400dddf07", "Title": "Eat" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "fbd61536-cd8c-4b03-8331-32738bdd5c1b", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "fbd61536-cd8c-4b03-8331-32738bdd5c1b", "Title": "Facade" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "45e2eebc-4a23-48f4-8d79-2f831d4d4e2d", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "45e2eebc-4a23-48f4-8d79-2f831d4d4e2d", "Title": "Enough Said" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "7a250a52-34d0-43da-adb7-2c8a40550de5", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "7a250a52-34d0-43da-adb7-2c8a40550de5", "Title": "Her" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "148cfb62-0fb2-4e7f-bb39-27bb3b06e980", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "148cfb62-0fb2-4e7f-bb39-27bb3b06e980", "Title": "12 Years A Slave a March07bc -- See where these changes go" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "70fa68cb-4e8f-4c4a-8214-2e2b06f14e0f", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "70fa68cb-4e8f-4c4a-8214-2e2b06f14e0f", "Title": "Jimmy Jamal, Super Beetle / I'm With Stupid" } }, { "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "da3bd5c7-763f-4181-9f1e-2a7618a6cd2b", "\_score": 1, "\_source": { "Id": "da3bd5c7-763f-4181-9f1e-2a7618a6cd2b", "Title": "Weird Science Trailer" } } ] _Sample query_: { "explain": true, "sort": [ { "Title": { "order": "asc" } } ], "\_source": [ "Id", "Title" ] } _Output_: "hits": [ { "\_shard": 0, "\_node": "gDxBvtOYSI2VSVxgh14ZpQ", "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "ca23459f-cc96-46cb-8ae8-509368467670", "\_score": null, "\_source": { "Id": "ca23459f-cc96-46cb-8ae8-509368467670", "Title": "TPTest Scaling 10:3" }, "sort": [ "10" ], "\_explanation": { "value": 1, "description": "ConstantScore(cache(\_type:asset)), product of:", "details": [ { "value": 1, "description": "boost" }, { "value": 1, "description": "queryNorm" } ] } }, { "\_shard": 0, "\_node": "gDxBvtOYSI2VSVxgh14ZpQ", "\_index": "gladiator", "\_type": "asset", "\_id": "148cfb62-0fb2-4e7f-bb39-27bb3b06e980", "\_score": null, "\_source": { "Id": "148cfb62-0fb2-4e7f-bb39-27bb3b06e980", "Title": "12 Years A Slave a March07bc -- See where these changes go" }, "sort": [ "12" ], "\_explanation": { "value": 1, "description": "ConstantScore(cache(\_type:asset)), product of:", "details": [ { "value": 1, "description": "boost" }, { "value": 1, "description": "queryNorm" } ] } }, ... ] _Problem:_ The sort order is based on a term not on phrase - not quite natural output from human sorting on title perspective, where '12 Years A Slave' would have been expected as first item on the list. Potential Solutions: 1. Map the field as not analysed in \_mapping. Challenge is that field needs to be searchable using terms 2. Map the field as multi-field one as analysed and one as not analysed. Challenge is that end user can sort by any column and therefore would required special mapping pretty much for every field. Please note the sample data is not representative of true size of document - it contains hundreds of fields and structure often changes, not quite desired to multi-field every field on on-going basis. 3. Query syntax has a double quote notation for search by phrase instead of search by term. Any special notation for sorting syntax to sort by phrase instead of by term? _Any other options/suggestions?_ -- 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/fb415851-c0ca-47de-9132-948556fab5f0%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/fb415851-c0ca-47de-9132-948556fab5f0%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Binh\_Ly\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@Binh\_Ly\_2](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Binh_Ly_2)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-by-phrase-instead-of-sorting-by-term/16806/2 "2014-04-03T21:34:18Z")
Unfortunately, you cannot decide this at query-time. Sorting is most efficient on single-unanalyzed field values. I'd probably limit the fields that you can sort on and then multi-field them all. I don't know if this would make it easier, but you can define dynamic templates for field mappings wherein you can specify a single rule to map many fields in a certain way: [http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/mapping-root-object-type.html#\_dynamic\_templates](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/mapping-root-object-type.html#_dynamic_templates) Also remember that sorting requires a memory structure called fielddata which can become a problem if you don't control what fields your users can sort on. -- 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/3aa51279-b031-42e7-802a-78a489917912%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/3aa51279-b031-42e7-802a-78a489917912%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Vladimir\_Khazin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Vladimir\_Khazin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Vladimir_Khazin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-by-phrase-instead-of-sorting-by-term/16806/3 "2014-04-04T13:36:03Z")
Hello Binh, Thank you for your comments! I was afraid that's the answer I am about get. On Thursday, April 3, 2014 5:34:18 PM UTC-4, Binh Ly wrote: > Unfortunately, you cannot decide this at query-time. Sorting is most > efficient on single-unanalyzed field values. I'd probably limit the fields > that you can sort on and then multi-field them all. I don't know if this > would make it easier, but you can define dynamic templates for field > mappings wherein you can specify a single rule to map many fields in a > certain way: > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/mapping-root-object-type.html#_dynamic_templates) > > Also remember that sorting requires a memory structure called fielddata > which can become a problem if you don't control what fields your users can > sort on. -- 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/6392ad72-9a5e-48b4-81b3-ffc8203d434f%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/6392ad72-9a5e-48b4-81b3-ffc8203d434f%40googlegroups.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, 1:38am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-by-phrase-instead-of-sorting-by-term/16806/4 "2017-07-06T01:38:10Z")