# Uncertain how to properly filter when certain fields do not always exist **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/uncertain-how-to-properly-filter-when-certain-fields-do-not-always-exist/15175 "2014-01-09T15:17:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phil\_Barresi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/phil_barresi/32/1885_2.png) [@Phil\_Barresi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Phil_Barresi)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/uncertain-how-to-properly-filter-when-certain-fields-do-not-always-exist/15175/1 "2014-01-09T15:17:29Z")
I am trying to filter based on a field that, on some objects, does not exist. I was under the impression that ES would match objects that don't have that field. Ultimately, I am trying to filter as such: - Field A will always exist, and should match on any of tags 1,2,3 - When it exists, either Field B or C must match any of tags 5,6,7 - When it exists, Field B must match any of tags 10, 11, 12 - When it exists, Field B or C must NOT have any of tags 15, 16, 18. In this case, all my tags are strings. In addition, fields B and C are inside of another. I am uncertain if that matters. Essentially, my object is: { a: ["some", "tags", "here"], X : { B: ["more", "tags", "here"], C: ["even", "more", "here"] } } Ultimately, I am trying to build a whitelist and blacklist filtering system. However, when filtering this way, I do not get any results that do not contain field X. How do I properly format this filter? -- 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/754097d9-fff7-4773-bac4-54f4fe3e5172%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/754097d9-fff7-4773-bac4-54f4fe3e5172%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_Barresi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/phil_barresi/32/1885_2.png) [@Phil\_Barresi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Phil_Barresi)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/uncertain-how-to-properly-filter-when-certain-fields-do-not-always-exist/15175/2 "2014-01-10T00:48:58Z")
Following advice I've received[http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21005516/uncertain-how-to-properly-filter-when-certain-fields-do-not-always-exist](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21005516/uncertain-how-to-properly-filter-when-certain-fields-do-not-always-exist)from StackOverflow poster Sloan Ahrens, I made a test [http://sense.qbox.io/gist/8f7369e7991db56f7b1592f11245cb8bf6dc933f](http://sense.qbox.io/gist/8f7369e7991db56f7b1592f11245cb8bf6dc933f) that worked on a test index, but not on a main index. However, I was getting false matches. I've added my index settings [http://sense.qbox.io/gist/a73c74e71df4aca6c58283bca1cde6e6071644df](http://sense.qbox.io/gist/a73c74e71df4aca6c58283bca1cde6e6071644df)and found that somehow, the addition of the relatedProfiles mapping makes it so that I get false-hits. Can anyone explain why that is? On Thursday, January 9, 2014 10:17:29 AM UTC-5, Phil Barresi wrote: > I am trying to filter based on a field that, on some objects, does not > exist. I was under the impression that ES would match objects that don't > have that field. > > Ultimately, I am trying to filter as such: > > - Field A will always exist, and should match on any of tags 1,2,3 > - When it exists, either Field B or C must match any of tags 5,6,7 > - When it exists, Field B must match any of tags 10, 11, 12 > - When it exists, Field B or C must NOT have any of tags 15, 16, 18. > > In this case, all my tags are strings. In addition, fields B and C are > inside of another. I am uncertain if that matters. > > Essentially, my object is: > > { a: ["some", "tags", "here"], > X : { > B: ["more", "tags", "here"], > C: ["even", "more", "here"] > } > } > > Ultimately, I am trying to build a whitelist and blacklist filtering > system. > > However, when filtering this way, I do not get any results that do not > contain field X. > > How do I properly format this filter? -- 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/0951fad9-32d5-4ab8-801a-619ab4201030%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/0951fad9-32d5-4ab8-801a-619ab4201030%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**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, 1:57am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/uncertain-how-to-properly-filter-when-certain-fields-do-not-always-exist/15175/3 "2017-07-06T01:57:32Z")