Matching arrays in elastic search

Question

I have document as below:

{
    "_index": "abc_local",
    "_type": "users",
    "_id": "1",
    "_version": 5,
    "found": true,
    "_source": {
        "firstname": "simer",
        "lastname": "kaur",
        "gender": "1",
        "Address": "Punjab House Fed. Housing Society, Amritsar, Punjab, India",
        "email": "rav@yopmail.com",
        "occupation": "Php Developer",
        "work": "Development",
        "fav_hunting_land": 2,
        "zipcode": "",
        "marital_status": "1",
        "phone": "1234567899",
        "school": "sdfergdfh",
        "species": [{
            "id": 1
        }, {
            "id": 2
        }, {
            "id": 3
        }, {
            "id": 4
        }, {
            "id": 5
        }, {
            "id": 6
        }],
        "activities": [{
            "id": 1
        }],
        "fav_weapon": 6,
        "weapons": [{
            "id": 1
        }, {
            "id": 2
        }, {
            "id": 3
        }, {
            "id": 6
        }],
        "properties": [{
            "id": 4
        }]
    }
}

and I need to match user on basis of weapons and I am trying something like:

$params = [
            'index' => Constants::INDEX,
            'type' => Constants::DOC_TYPE_USERS,
            'body' => [
                "query"=> [
                    "bool"=> [
                        "must"=>   [ "match"=> [ "weapons.id"=>$params['weapons'] ]],

                        "should"=> [
                                    [ "match"=> [ "firstname"=> $params['search_text'] ]],
                                    [ "match"=> [ "lastname"=> $params['search_text']   ]]
                                        ]
                                    ]
                            ]
                        ]

                ];

as I am using elastic in PHP. Here $params['weapons'] is:

array (size=2)
  0 => string '1' (length=1)
  1 => string '2' (length=1)

I get an error:

illegal_state_exception: Can't get text on a START_ARRAY at 1:36

Any suggestions/help would be appreciated that how I can match array. I took reference from nested datatypes

Update#1: parameters I am sending to my function: {"from":0,"size":null,"city":null,"state":"0","weapons":["1","2"],"activities":[],"species":[],"properties":[],"search_text":"lastname"}

update#2: Body of my query in json format:

{
    "index": "abc_local",
    "type": "users",
    "body": {
        "query": {
            "bool": {
                "must": {
                    "match": {
                        "weapons.id": ["1", "2"]
                    }
                },
                "should": [{
                    "match": {
                        "firstname": "simer"
                    }
                }, {
                    "match": {
                        "lastname": "simer"
                    }
                }]
            }
        }
    }
}

Construct the first `match` query the same way as the second and third ones. You have one too many array in there. — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 06:40
@Val Updated. Now I am getting exception: illegal_state_exception: Can't get text on a START_ARRAY at 1:36 — Always_a_learner, Nov 22 '16 at 06:45
Now you're missing a `]` to end your array. Make sure the square brackets are balanced. — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 06:51
it's still wrong: it needs to be like this: `[ "match"=> [ "weapons.id"=>$params['weapons'] ]]` — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 06:56
@Val as mentioned in my question : illegal_state_exception: Can't get text on a START_ARRAY at 1:36 — Always_a_learner, Nov 22 '16 at 07:19
Can you `json_encode` your `$params` query it'll be easier to debug it in JSON with the substituted values. — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 07:21
@Val: {"from":0,"size":null,"city":null,"state":"0","weapons":["1","2"],"activities":[],"species":[],"properties":[],"search_text":"lastname"} — Always_a_learner, Nov 22 '16 at 07:33
No, I'm asking for the body of the query, not the parameters to your function, i.e. what you have in `$params` in your question. — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 07:35
@Val I have made a 2nd update. My query would look something like that in json format but it would contain 'should' clause as well where I will match firstname and second name. — Always_a_learner, Nov 22 '16 at 08:45
Please add `print_r(json_encode($params))` at the end of your code and show us your complete JSON. — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 08:46

score 13 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 22 '16 at 08:56

You can simply replace the first match query by a terms one as match doesn't work with arrays of values.

 $params = [
        'index' => Constants::INDEX,
        'type' => Constants::DOC_TYPE_USERS,
        'body' => [
            "query"=> [
                "bool"=> [
                    "must"=>   [ "terms"=> [ "weapons.id"=>$params['weapons'] ]],
                                    ^
                                    |
                               change this

                    "should"=> [
                                [ "match"=> [ "firstname"=> $params['search_text'] ]],
                                [ "match"=> [ "lastname"=> $params['search_text']   ]]
                                    ]
                                ]
                        ]
                    ]

            ];

Awesome, glad we figured it out. – Val Nov 22 '16 at 08:59 — Val, Nov 22 '16 at 08:59

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 22 '19 at 11:40

if u want to check if any value from array matches to field from index then you have to "terms" instead of match.

{
    "index": "abc_local",
    "type": "users",
    "body": {
        "query": {
            "bool": {
                "must": {
                    "terms": {
                        "weapons.id": ["1", "2"]
                    }
                },
                "should": [{
                    "match": {
                        "firstname": "simer"
                    }
                }, {
                    "match": {
                        "lastname": "simer"
                    }
                }]
            }
        }
    }
}

refer "Terms Level Query" in ElasticSearch docs.

Matching arrays in elastic search

2 Answers2