# Substring not returning consistent result

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/substring-not-returning-consistent-result/217330>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [January 31, 2020, 9:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/substring-not-returning-consistent-result/217330 "2020-01-31T09:04:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Laxmi\_Barthwal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/laxmi_barthwal/32/61823_2.png) [@Laxmi\_Barthwal](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Laxmi_Barthwal)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/substring-not-returning-consistent-result/217330/1 "2020-01-31T09:04:20Z")

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When using scripted fields to extract date from \_source field ( log.keyword) , then getting date as january1 1970 in some case and in some case getting correct date.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/4/f/4fef4af130a6fecfedc1ba7d10859f9743971d38.png)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/4/14b83097856e753f91d7ca6d08acf2460f9a20c6.png)  
My script is  
for test2 : returns Date  
if (doc['log.keyword'].value != null)  
return doc['log.keyword'].value.substring(0, doc['log.keyword'].value.indexOf('Z')+1) ;  
else  
-1

for LogDateTest: returns date  
if (doc['log.keyword'].value != null) return doc['log.keyword'].value.substring(0, doc['log.keyword'].value.indexOf('T')); else return -1;

Place where its giving correct result

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/3/8/384e33f61293fb251ad89a0284c1539acdb4426a.png)

Place where its giving wrong result

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/0/d/0d3fc37583bf6932bd32de8012e5ca86dc419dcd.png)  
Can anyone explain why is this so and how to get the date and time in all the cases.

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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 28, 2020, 9:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/substring-not-returning-consistent-result/217330/2 "2020-02-28T09:04:23Z")

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