# Understanding how to use the indexed \_boost field **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [June 9, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591 "2011-06-09T20:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Karussell1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/50afbb/32.png) [@Karussell1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Karussell1)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591/1 "2011-06-09T20:34:08Z")
I'm trying to use the \_boost field to boost certain documents while indexing (as even native scripting is a bit slow for me ;)). But when I'm searching with a query\_string query the \_boost field is not recognized (documents with a lot higher \_boost field come later). Which query type recognizes the \_boost field? Regards, Peter. ---
**Author:** ![Karussell1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/50afbb/32.png) [@Karussell1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Karussell1)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591/2 "2011-06-10T21:56:30Z")
It works, but for queries _:_ it does not. I opened an issue for this: > > > When using boost field for every document and doing a query\_search with \_:\_ it… would be logically to simply sort against the boost value. At the moment every doc gets an identical score of 1 But maybe the workaround is too easy (in my case) and this issue not worth to be implemented ... On Jun 9, 10:34 pm, Karussell [tableyourt...@googlemail.com](mailto:tableyourt...@googlemail.com) wrote: > I'm trying to use the \_boost field to boost certain documents while > indexing (as even native scripting is a bit slow for me ;)). But when > I'm searching with a query\_string query the \_boost field is not > recognized (documents with a lot higher \_boost field come later). > > Which query type recognizes the \_boost field? > > Regards, > Peter. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2011, 7:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591/3 "2011-06-12T07:17:30Z")
Yes, by default, the _:_ query is using a cached "constant" score result to improve perf. We can add a flag to it to have it do the fully term scanning, which will take boost into account, but it will be slower. On Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 12:56 AM, Karussell wrote: > It works, but for queries _:_ it does not. I opened an issue for > this: > > [\_boost field should work for \*:\* too · Issue #1019 · elastic/elasticsearch · GitHub](https://github.com/elasticsearch/elasticsearch/issues/1019) > > But maybe the workaround is too easy (in my case) and this issue not > worth to be implemented ... > > On Jun 9, 10:34 pm, Karussell \<[tableyourt...@googlemail.com](mailto:tableyourt...@googlemail.com) ([http://googlemail.com](http://googlemail.com))\> wrote: > > > I'm trying to use the \_boost field to boost certain documents while > > indexing (as even native scripting is a bit slow for me ;)). But when > > I'm searching with a query\_string query the \_boost field is not > > recognized (documents with a lot higher \_boost field come later). > > > > Which query type recognizes the \_boost field? > > > > Regards, > > Peter. ---
**Author:** ![Yannick\_Smits\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a4c791/32.png) [@Yannick\_Smits\_2](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Yannick_Smits_2)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591/4 "2011-06-15T11:01:39Z")
I’m trying to understand the below discussion. Can someone help me explain what a _:_ query is? From: Shay Banon [[mailto:shay.banon@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.banon@elasticsearch.com)] Sent: zondag 12 juni 2011 9:18 To: [users@elasticsearch.com](mailto:users@elasticsearch.com) Subject: Re: Understanding how to use the indexed \_boost field Yes, by default, the _:_ query is using a cached "constant" score result to improve perf. We can add a flag to it to have it do the fully term scanning, which will take boost into account, but it will be slower. On Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 12:56 AM, Karussell wrote: It works, but for queries _:_ it does not. I opened an issue for this: > But maybe the workaround is too easy (in my case) and this issue not worth to be implemented ... On Jun 9, 10:34 pm, Karussell [tableyourt...@googlemail.com](mailto:tableyourt...@googlemail.com) wrote: I'm trying to use the \_boost field to boost certain documents while indexing (as even native scripting is a bit slow for me ;)). But when I'm searching with a query\_string query the \_boost field is not recognized (documents with a lot higher \_boost field come later). Which query type recognizes the \_boost field? Regards, Peter. ---
**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:** [June 15, 2011, 11:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591/5 "2011-06-15T11:14:52Z")
Its a "match\_all" query. On Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 2:01 PM, Yannick Smits wrote: > I’m trying to understand the below discussion. Can someone help me explain what a _:_ query is? > > From: Shay Banon [[mailto:shay.banon@elasticsearch.com](mailto:shay.banon@elasticsearch.com)] > Sent: zondag 12 juni 2011 9:18 > To: [users@elasticsearch.com](mailto:users@elasticsearch.com) ([mailto:users@elasticsearch.com](mailto:users@elasticsearch.com)) > Subject: Re: Understanding how to use the indexed \_boost field > > Yes, by default, the _:_ query is using a cached "constant" score result to improve perf. We can add a flag to it to have it do the fully term scanning, which will take boost into account, but it will be slower. > On Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 12:56 AM, Karussell wrote: > > > It works, but for queries _:_ it does not. I opened an issue for > > this: > > > > [\_boost field should work for \*:\* too · Issue #1019 · elastic/elasticsearch · GitHub](https://github.com/elasticsearch/elasticsearch/issues/1019) > > > > But maybe the workaround is too easy (in my case) and this issue not > > worth to be implemented ... > > > > On Jun 9, 10:34 pm, Karussell \<[tableyourt...@googlemail.com](mailto:tableyourt...@googlemail.com) ([http://googlemail.com](http://googlemail.com))\> wrote: > > > > I'm trying to use the \_boost field to boost certain documents while > > indexing (as even native scripting is a bit slow for me ;)). But when > > I'm searching with a query\_string query the \_boost field is not > > recognized (documents with a lot higher \_boost field come later). > > > > Which query type recognizes the \_boost field? > > > > Regards, > > Peter. ---
**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, 4:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/understanding-how-to-use-the-indexed--boost-field/4591/6 "2017-07-06T04:03:31Z")