# Sorting on a Field that does not exist **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [November 8, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-on-a-field-that-does-not-exist/5820 "2011-11-08T21:38:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LORDs\_diakonos](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/lords_diakonos/32/3009_2.png) [@LORDs\_diakonos](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/LORDs_diakonos)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-on-a-field-that-does-not-exist/5820/1 "2011-11-08T21:38:32Z")
Sometimes I need to sort on a field that doesn't exist. I of course do not know it doesn't exist until runtime. I tried the following FieldSortBuilder sb = new FieldSortBuilder(sortbyArr[0].toLowerCase()); sb.missing(null); sb.order(sortbyArr.length\>1 && sortbyArr[1].equalsIgnoreCase("desc") ? SortOrder.DESC : SortOrder.ASC); srb.addSort(sb); I have sett the midding() to other values but it doesn't work because my field is a String and ElasticSearch complains. srb is the SearchRequestBuilder We are replacing Lucene with ElasticSearch. In Lucene this worked for us as we would construct the SortField Object and add that to the query. How can I make this work? ---
**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 9, 2011, 11:16am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-on-a-field-that-does-not-exist/5820/2 "2011-11-09T11:16:41Z")
Sorting on a field that does not exists (in the mappings) will fail, because elasticsearch needs to use the relevant sorting implementation (numerics, string, ...). On Tue, Nov 8, 2011 at 11:38 PM, LORDs\_diakonos [jasontesser@gmail.com](mailto:jasontesser@gmail.com)wrote: > Sometimes I need to sort on a field that doesn't exist. I of course > do not know it doesn't exist until runtime. > > I tried the following > > FieldSortBuilder sb = new > FieldSortBuilder(sortbyArr[0].toLowerCase()); > sb.missing(null); > sb.order(sortbyArr.length\>1 && > sortbyArr[1].equalsIgnoreCase("desc") ? > SortOrder.DESC : SortOrder.ASC); > srb.addSort(sb); > > I have sett the midding() to other values but it doesn't work because > my field is a String and Elasticsearch complains. > srb is the SearchRequestBuilder > > We are replacing Lucene with Elasticsearch. In Lucene this worked for > us as we would construct the SortField Object and add that to the > query. > > How can I make this work? ---
**Author:** ![LORDs\_diakonos](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/lords_diakonos/32/3009_2.png) [@LORDs\_diakonos](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/LORDs_diakonos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-on-a-field-that-does-not-exist/5820/3 "2011-11-09T11:50:43Z")
so 2 questions then 1. Is there a problem with having tons and tons of fields cause I would have to generate thousands or 10s of thousands of fields and set many to null ro fix my issue. 2. Is there a speedy way to check for fields that exist so I know what to sort on? Thanks, Jason Tesser dotCMS Director, Support Services 1-305-858-1422 On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 6:16 AM, Shay Banon [kimchy@gmail.com](mailto:kimchy@gmail.com) wrote: > Sorting on a field that does not exists (in the mappings) will fail, > because elasticsearch needs to use the relevant sorting implementation > (numerics, string, ...). > > On Tue, Nov 8, 2011 at 11:38 PM, LORDs\_diakonos [jasontesser@gmail.com](mailto:jasontesser@gmail.com)wrote: > > > Sometimes I need to sort on a field that doesn't exist. I of course > > do not know it doesn't exist until runtime. > > > > I tried the following > > > > FieldSortBuilder sb = new > > FieldSortBuilder(sortbyArr[0].toLowerCase()); > > sb.missing(null); > > sb.order(sortbyArr.length\>1 && > > sortbyArr[1].equalsIgnoreCase("desc") ? > > SortOrder.DESC : SortOrder.ASC); > > srb.addSort(sb); > > > > I have sett the midding() to other values but it doesn't work because > > my field is a String and Elasticsearch complains. > > srb is the SearchRequestBuilder > > > > We are replacing Lucene with Elasticsearch. In Lucene this worked for > > us as we would construct the SortField Object and add that to the > > query. > > > > How can I make this work? ---
**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 13, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-on-a-field-that-does-not-exist/5820/4 "2011-11-13T06:59:16Z")
Not sure I understand..., are the fields supposed to be in this type or not? You can use get mapping for a specific index/type, and see which fields are currently mapped in the index. On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 1:50 PM, Jason Tesser [jasontesser@gmail.com](mailto:jasontesser@gmail.com) wrote: > so 2 questions then > > 1. Is there a problem with having tons and tons of fields cause I would > have to generate thousands or 10s of thousands of fields and set many to > null ro fix my issue. > > 2. Is there a speedy way to check for fields that exist so I know what to > sort on? > > Thanks, > Jason Tesser > dotCMS Director, Support Services > 1-305-858-1422 > > On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 6:16 AM, Shay Banon [kimchy@gmail.com](mailto:kimchy@gmail.com) wrote: > > > Sorting on a field that does not exists (in the mappings) will fail, > > because elasticsearch needs to use the relevant sorting implementation > > (numerics, string, ...). > > > > On Tue, Nov 8, 2011 at 11:38 PM, LORDs\_diakonos [jasontesser@gmail.com](mailto:jasontesser@gmail.com)wrote: > > > > > Sometimes I need to sort on a field that doesn't exist. I of course > > > do not know it doesn't exist until runtime. > > > > > > I tried the following > > > > > > FieldSortBuilder sb = new > > > FieldSortBuilder(sortbyArr[0].toLowerCase()); > > > sb.missing(null); > > > sb.order(sortbyArr.length\>1 && > > > sortbyArr[1].equalsIgnoreCase("desc") ? > > > SortOrder.DESC : SortOrder.ASC); > > > srb.addSort(sb); > > > > > > I have sett the midding() to other values but it doesn't work because > > > my field is a String and Elasticsearch complains. > > > srb is the SearchRequestBuilder > > > > > > We are replacing Lucene with Elasticsearch. In Lucene this worked for > > > us as we would construct the SortField Object and add that to the > > > query. > > > > > > How can I make this work? ---
**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, 3:49am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sorting-on-a-field-that-does-not-exist/5820/5 "2017-07-06T03:49:00Z")