# "value cannot be parsed to boolean" -- Is there some to get ES to say which property this is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [June 21, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518 "2016-06-21T14:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![memelet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@memelet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/memelet)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518/1 "2016-06-21T14:23:39Z")
It would be really helpful if when properties fail to parse the key and actual value are added the exception/log. Is there a log level that might add this info? (Although it should be shown at any log level.) [2016-06-21 14:16:50,587][ERROR][bootstrap] [s-elasticsearch-master-1] Exception java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: value cannot be parsed to boolean [true/1/on/yes OR false/0/off/no] at org.elasticsearch.common.Booleans.parseBooleanExact(Booleans.java:97) at org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode.dataNode(DiscoveryNode.java:256) at org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodes$Builder.build(DiscoveryNodes.java:659) at org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState$Builder.nodes(ClusterState.java:571) at org.elasticsearch.cluster.service.InternalClusterService.doStart(InternalClusterService.java:205) at org.elasticsearch.common.component.AbstractLifecycleComponent.start(AbstractLifecycleComponent.java:68) at org.elasticsearch.node.Node.start(Node.java:279) at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.start(Bootstrap.java:206) at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.init(Bootstrap.java:272) at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:35) [ ---
**Author:** ![memelet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@memelet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/memelet)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518/2 "2016-06-21T14:51:44Z")
Besides, isn't valid yaml booleans this? y|Y|yes|Yes|YES|n|N|no|No|NO |true|True|TRUE|false|False|FALSE |on|On|ON|off|Off|OFF I am creating the yaml from ansible. When ansible renders the elasticsearch.yml it turn python boolean into True,False. If I use |to\_yaml it still uses True,False because those are valid yaml booleans. ---
**Author:** ![polyfractal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/polyfractal/32/48162_2.png) [@polyfractal](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/polyfractal)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518/3 "2016-06-21T15:52:13Z")
Short answer is that no, it appears the parser cannot be configured to display the value that failed to parse correctly: [https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/blob/v2.3.3/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/Booleans.java#L86-L97](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/blob/v2.3.3/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/Booleans.java#L86-L97) Unfortunately, this is kind of hit-or-miss in the codebase right now. Newer parsing code generally makes an attempt to use formats like `"Cannot parse value [foo], expected ["yes", "no"], got ["bar"]"`. But a lot of places, especially older code, doesn't follow this convention. Regarding the set of yaml, I agree the parser seems incomplete. I've opened an issue: [https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/19006](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/19006) ---
**Author:** ![jasontedor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jasontedor/32/66992_2.png) [@jasontedor](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jasontedor)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518/4 "2016-06-21T16:57:35Z")
> [@memelet](#): > > Besides, isn't valid yaml booleans this? > > y|Y|yes|Yes|YES|n|N|no|No|NO > |true|True|TRUE|false|False|FALSE > |on|On|ON|off|Off|OFF No, only if we support the optional language-independent type `Boolean` which we do not. ---
**Author:** ![memelet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@memelet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/memelet)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518/5 "2016-06-22T04:42:29Z")
Ok, fair enough. The only real downside is that ansible variables must be defined: node.master: 'true' instead of node.master: true ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/value-cannot-be-parsed-to-boolean-is-there-some-to-get-es-to-say-which-property-this-is/53518/6 "2017-07-05T22:41:34Z")