# The "fields" option
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/the-fields-option/3178
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [August 1, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/the-fields-option/3178 "2010-08-01T02:17:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@goodieboy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/goodieboy)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/the-fields-option/3178/1 "2010-08-01T02:17:56Z")
Hi,
I'm trying to set the return fields in my search request using the
"fields" array. But nothing I do actually works:
"fields" : ["name", "location.city", "location.street"]
What am I missing here?
Thanks,
Matt
---
### Author:  [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2010, 10:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/the-fields-option/3178/2 "2010-08-01T10:54:38Z")
You need to map them as stored in the mapping definition. In general, it is
usually better to get back the actual json indexed and fetch what you want
from them, then loading several fields.
-shay.banon
On Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 5:17 AM, matt mitchell [goodieboy@gmail.com](mailto:goodieboy@gmail.com) wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to set the return fields in my search request using the
> "fields" array. But nothing I do actually works:
>
> "fields" : ["name", "location.city", "location.street"]
>
> What am I missing here?
>
> Thanks,
> Matt
---
### Author:  [@goodieboy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/goodieboy)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2010, 11:34am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/the-fields-option/3178/3 "2010-08-01T11:34:20Z")
Ahh yes, makes sense. Thanks.
Matt
On Aug 1, 6:54 am, Shay Banon [shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.ba...@elasticsearch.com) wrote:
> You need to map them as stored in the mapping definition. In general, it is
> usually better to get back the actual json indexed and fetch what you want
> from them, then loading several fields.
>
> -shay.banon
>
> On Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 5:17 AM, matt mitchell [goodie...@gmail.com](mailto:goodie...@gmail.com) wrote:
>
> > Hi,
>
> > I'm trying to set the return fields in my search request using the
> > "fields" array. But nothing I do actually works:
>
> > "fields" : ["name", "location.city", "location.street"]
>
> > What am I missing here?
>
> > Thanks,
> > Matt
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/the-fields-option/3178/4 "2017-07-06T04:21:16Z")