# When is fully qualified path to a nested doc field required?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [January 24, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407 "2014-01-24T15:38:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Justin\_Treher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justin_treher/32/45243_2.png) [@Justin\_Treher](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Justin_Treher)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407/1 "2014-01-24T15:38:41Z")

</div>

When exactly should you use the fully qualified path name in the case of  
standard objects, nested objects (documents), and combinations with  
multi\_field within?

I had an incident where my facets were not returning correctly. I traced it  
back to a nested facet filter and a field name inside that nested document  
that is used elsewhere in the document. When I reindexed, it "FIXED  
ITSELF." I thought, fine, I will fully qualify the path to prevent whatever  
issue just happened.

However, I also applied the fully qualified path to a multi\_field that is  
accessed via "just\_name" inside the nested document. In that case, I was  
not able to put the nested document path in front of it.

====Relevant chunk of mappings for this nested object=====  
{  
"categories": {  
"type": "nested",  
"properties": {  
"name": {  
"type": "multi\_field",  
"path": "just\_name",  
"fields": {  
"name": {  
"type": "string"  
},  
"name\_special": {  
"type": "string",  
}  
}  
},  
"default": {  
"type": "boolean" \<== this was my problem field, I use  
default in a non-nested object elsewhere in the document.  
}  
}  
}  
}

====facet=====  
{  
"facets": {  
"hierarchy": {  
"terms": {  
"field": "categories.name\_special" \<== doesn't work, have to  
use "name\_special" without path  
},  
"facet\_filter": {  
"term": {  
"categories.default": true \<== categories. prefix must be  
here to prevent another field in the "parent" doc from being used. Optional?  
}  
},  
"nested": "categories"  
}  
},  
"size": 0  
}

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**Author:** ![Justin\_Treher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justin_treher/32/45243_2.png) [@Justin\_Treher](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Justin_Treher)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407/2 "2014-01-24T17:04:59Z")

</div>

As a follow-up, what is the default "path" applied to non-root objects?

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Regarding the section "path?"

On Friday, January 24, 2014 10:38:41 AM UTC-5, Justin Treher wrote:

> When exactly should you use the fully qualified path name in the case of  
> standard objects, nested objects (documents), and combinations with  
> multi\_field within?
> 
> I had an incident where my facets were not returning correctly. I traced  
> it back to a nested facet filter and a field name inside that nested  
> document that is used elsewhere in the document. When I reindexed, it  
> "FIXED ITSELF." I thought, fine, I will fully qualify the path to prevent  
> whatever issue just happened.
> 
> However, I also applied the fully qualified path to a multi\_field that is  
> accessed via "just\_name" inside the nested document. In that case, I was  
> not able to put the nested document path in front of it.
> 
> ====Relevant chunk of mappings for this nested object=====  
> {  
> "categories": {  
> "type": "nested",  
> "properties": {  
> "name": {  
> "type": "multi\_field",  
> "path": "just\_name",  
> "fields": {  
> "name": {  
> "type": "string"  
> },  
> "name\_special": {  
> "type": "string",  
> }  
> }  
> },  
> "default": {  
> "type": "boolean" \<== this was my problem field, I use  
> default in a non-nested object elsewhere in the document.  
> }  
> }  
> }  
> }
> 
> ====facet=====  
> {  
> "facets": {  
> "hierarchy": {  
> "terms": {  
> "field": "categories.name\_special" \<== doesn't work, have to  
> use "name\_special" without path  
> },  
> "facet\_filter": {  
> "term": {  
> "categories.default": true \<== categories. prefix must be  
> here to prevent another field in the "parent" doc from being used. Optional?  
> }  
> },  
> "nested": "categories"  
> }  
> },  
> "size": 0  
> }

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Binh\_Ly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce7236/32.png) [@Binh\_Ly](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Binh_Ly)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407/3 "2014-01-24T17:06:03Z")

</div>

Justin:

I think you probably meant to say:

{  
"facets": {  
"hierarchy": {  
"terms": {  
"field": "categories\*.name\*.name\_special"  
},  
"facet\_filter": {  
"term": {  
"categories.default": true  
}  
},  
"nested": "categories"  
}  
},  
"size": 0  
}

In general, when in doubt, always specify the full path in your queries.  
Please give it a try and let me know if that helps.

On Friday, January 24, 2014 10:38:41 AM UTC-5, Justin Treher wrote:

> When exactly should you use the fully qualified path name in the case of  
> standard objects, nested objects (documents), and combinations with  
> multi\_field within?
> 
> I had an incident where my facets were not returning correctly. I traced  
> it back to a nested facet filter and a field name inside that nested  
> document that is used elsewhere in the document. When I reindexed, it  
> "FIXED ITSELF." I thought, fine, I will fully qualify the path to prevent  
> whatever issue just happened.
> 
> However, I also applied the fully qualified path to a multi\_field that is  
> accessed via "just\_name" inside the nested document. In that case, I was  
> not able to put the nested document path in front of it.
> 
> ====Relevant chunk of mappings for this nested object=====  
> {  
> "categories": {  
> "type": "nested",  
> "properties": {  
> "name": {  
> "type": "multi\_field",  
> "path": "just\_name",  
> "fields": {  
> "name": {  
> "type": "string"  
> },  
> "name\_special": {  
> "type": "string",  
> }  
> }  
> },  
> "default": {  
> "type": "boolean" \<== this was my problem field, I use  
> default in a non-nested object elsewhere in the document.  
> }  
> }  
> }  
> }
> 
> ====facet=====  
> {  
> "facets": {  
> "hierarchy": {  
> "terms": {  
> "field": "categories.name\_special" \<== doesn't work, have to  
> use "name\_special" without path  
> },  
> "facet\_filter": {  
> "term": {  
> "categories.default": true \<== categories. prefix must be  
> here to prevent another field in the "parent" doc from being used. Optional?  
> }  
> },  
> "nested": "categories"  
> }  
> },  
> "size": 0  
> }

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**Author:** ![Justin\_Treher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justin_treher/32/45243_2.png) [@Justin\_Treher](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Justin_Treher)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407/4 "2014-01-24T17:13:36Z")

</div>

Binh -

You are correct. The pathing with nested documents definitely confuses me!  
So, name.name\_special doesn't work. When I apply the path, it has to be the  
whole deal, categories.name.name\_special. So, the only issue I am left to  
resolve is that why on one version of my index is treating a  
non-root/non-nested object as "just\_name." I know I definitely did not  
change mappings.

But if I apply the "When in doubt, use the full path" rule, it would  
resolve itself anyhow I suppose, even if something screwing happened during  
the generation of the dynamic mappings..

Justin

On Friday, January 24, 2014 12:06:03 PM UTC-5, Binh Ly wrote:

> Justin:
> 
> I think you probably meant to say:
> 
> {  
> "facets": {  
> "hierarchy": {  
> "terms": {  
> "field": "categories\*.name\*.name\_special"  
> },  
> "facet\_filter": {  
> "term": {  
> "categories.default": true  
> }  
> },  
> "nested": "categories"  
> }  
> },  
> "size": 0  
> }
> 
> In general, when in doubt, always specify the full path in your queries.  
> Please give it a try and let me know if that helps.
> 
> On Friday, January 24, 2014 10:38:41 AM UTC-5, Justin Treher wrote:
> 
> > When exactly should you use the fully qualified path name in the case of  
> > standard objects, nested objects (documents), and combinations with  
> > multi\_field within?
> > 
> > I had an incident where my facets were not returning correctly. I traced  
> > it back to a nested facet filter and a field name inside that nested  
> > document that is used elsewhere in the document. When I reindexed, it  
> > "FIXED ITSELF." I thought, fine, I will fully qualify the path to prevent  
> > whatever issue just happened.
> > 
> > However, I also applied the fully qualified path to a multi\_field that is  
> > accessed via "just\_name" inside the nested document. In that case, I was  
> > not able to put the nested document path in front of it.
> > 
> > ====Relevant chunk of mappings for this nested object=====  
> > {  
> > "categories": {  
> > "type": "nested",  
> > "properties": {  
> > "name": {  
> > "type": "multi\_field",  
> > "path": "just\_name",  
> > "fields": {  
> > "name": {  
> > "type": "string"  
> > },  
> > "name\_special": {  
> > "type": "string",  
> > }  
> > }  
> > },  
> > "default": {  
> > "type": "boolean" \<== this was my problem field, I use  
> > default in a non-nested object elsewhere in the document.  
> > }  
> > }  
> > }  
> > }
> > 
> > ====facet=====  
> > {  
> > "facets": {  
> > "hierarchy": {  
> > "terms": {  
> > "field": "categories.name\_special" \<== doesn't work, have to  
> > use "name\_special" without path  
> > },  
> > "facet\_filter": {  
> > "term": {  
> > "categories.default": true \<== categories. prefix must be  
> > here to prevent another field in the "parent" doc from being used. Optional?  
> > }  
> > },  
> > "nested": "categories"  
> > }  
> > },  
> > "size": 0  
> > }

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**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, 1:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-is-fully-qualified-path-to-a-nested-doc-field-required/15407/5 "2017-07-06T01:54:55Z")

</div>