# Update API - how to remove inner fields from objects via script?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-api-how-to-remove-inner-fields-from-objects-via-script/22296
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [February 20, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-api-how-to-remove-inner-fields-from-objects-via-script/22296 "2015-02-20T15:54:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@daflookie](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/daflookie)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-api-how-to-remove-inner-fields-from-objects-via-script/22296/1 "2015-02-20T15:54:30Z")
I have an index that supports dynamic mappings under a field of type Object
that we named custom. My doc also has other objects properties with inner
props. I attached an abbreviated mapping - notice my object for "realm"
and it's properties
Using the Update API I can remove a field per the docs
[http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-update.html](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-update.html)
_if_ it's a top level field. For example this works great:
POST
/test-timbr-2015.02.19/event/0f78c6b6-a30b-436e-bad7-4234654fc5bb/\_update
{
"script" : "ctx.\_source.remove("threadid")"
}
However, when I run the script against a document that has a field nested
in a specific object graph the specified field doesn't get deleted. I'm
using dot notation as you can see, and when I run this ES comes back with a
HTTP 200 and the \_version property gets incremented.
POST
/test-timbr-2015.02.19/event/0f78c6b6-a30b-436e-bad7-4234654fc5bb/\_update
{
"script" : "ctx.\_source.remove("realm.name")"
}
How can I get inner properties like this removed via the Update API.
Thanks for your help.
Steve
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---
### Author:  [@daflookie](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/daflookie)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-api-how-to-remove-inner-fields-from-objects-via-script/22296/2 "2015-02-22T13:54:51Z")
Nevermind folks thanks anyway. I took a look at the ES source. Each
object in the doc has it's own methods such as remove():
POST
/test-timbr-2015.02.19/event/0f78c6b6-a30b-436e-bad7-4234654fc5bb/\_update
{
"script" : "ctx.\_source.realm.remove("name [http://realm.name/](http://realm.name/)")"
}
On Friday, February 20, 2015 at 10:54:30 AM UTC-5, Steve Flook wrote:
> I have an index that supports dynamic mappings under a field of type
> Object that we named custom. My doc also has other objects properties with
> inner props. I attached an abbreviated mapping - notice my object for
> "realm" and it's properties
>
> Using the Update API I can remove a field per the docs
> [http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-update.html](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-update.html)
> _if_ it's a top level field. For example this works great:
>
> POST
> /test-timbr-2015.02.19/event/0f78c6b6-a30b-436e-bad7-4234654fc5bb/\_update
> {
> "script" : "ctx.\_source.remove("threadid")"
> }
>
> However, when I run the script against a document that has a field nested
> in a specific object graph the specified field doesn't get deleted. I'm
> using dot notation as you can see, and when I run this ES comes back with a
> HTTP 200 and the \_version property gets incremented.
>
> POST
> /test-timbr-2015.02.19/event/0f78c6b6-a30b-436e-bad7-4234654fc5bb/\_update
> {
> "script" : "ctx.\_source.remove("realm.name")"
> }
>
> How can I get inner properties like this removed via the Update API.
>
> Thanks for your help.
> Steve
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---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-api-how-to-remove-inner-fields-from-objects-via-script/22296/3 "2017-07-06T00:30:57Z")