# Why might I be getting 400 on this request?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [September 30, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172 "2023-09-30T14:44:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@mrodent](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mrodent)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172/1 "2023-09-30T14:44:39Z")
ES 8.6.2.
Low-level user here. I'm trying to clone and then delete in order to rename an index.
Before cloning I'm told ([here](https://stackoverflow.com/a/70018231/595305)) I should execute this "index.blocks.write" command.
This is my attempt (Python):
```auto
ES_URL = 'https://localhost:9500' # yes, running on that Port
TEMP_INDEX_NAME = 'temp_index'
data = {
'settings': {
'index.blocks.write': True,
}
}
headers = {'Content-type': 'application/json'}
# NB the auth and verify stuff is definitely working
requests.put(f'{ES_URL}/{TEMP_INDEX_NAME}/_settings', data=data, headers=headers, auth=auth, verify=verify)
```
... gets 400 "Bad Request"
And in fact, if I omit that, and just try for the clone, I also get 400:
```
requests.post(f'{ES_URL}/{TEMP_INDEX_NAME}/_clone/my_new_index', auth=auth, verify=verify)
```
Is there maybe something I need to enable in the configuration of ES?
---
### Author:  [@leandrojmp](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/leandrojmp)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172/2 "2023-09-30T15:32:47Z")
> [@mrodent](#):
>
> ```auto
> data = {
> 'settings': {
> 'index.blocks.write': True,
> }
> }
>
> ```
The payload is wrong, there is no top-level `settings` and also there is a comma after _True_, but you do not have another item. [[check the documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/indices-update-settings.html)].
You may try with one of these payloads:
```auto
data = {
'index': {
'blocks.write': true
}
}
```
```auto
data = {
'index.blocks.write': true
}
```
---
### Author:  [@mrodent](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mrodent)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172/3 "2023-09-30T17:04:25Z")
Thanks very much. This is very puzzling. I tried various permutations of what you suggested. `true` (lower-case "t") on its own doesn't work in Python: it is illegal. But I tried with the string "true".
Also, in Python, a dictionary (`dict`) takes no account of a trailing comma after the last key-value pair.
But I tried with both `True` and string "true" with both your suggestions. And I'm still getting 400.
PS I also checked out that documentation page you linked to. But it's quite general, not covering "blocks.write" stuff.
---
### Author:  [@mrodent](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mrodent)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2023, 7:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172/4 "2023-10-01T07:29:17Z")
I found the solution. In fact this command (as suggested by leandrojmp) worked fine when I ran it in Insomnia... but not when I use Python code. Checking various questions on this at Stack Overflow I found the solution:
```
data = json.dumps({
'index': {
'blocks.write': True
}
})
```
... i.e. submitting the `dict` didn't work. Submitting a string of the `dict` does. This is extremely surprising as I've been using `dict` directly since... years! (and have never encountered this issue before ever, to my knowledge).
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2023, 7:30am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-might-i-be-getting-400-on-this-request/344172/5 "2023-10-29T07:30:03Z")
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