Exists query is also called NULL query or NULL-value query. This query is used in sparse data to determine whether a column of a row exists. For example, you can query the rows in which the value of the address column is not empty.

Note
  • If you want to perform an exists query on a Nested column, you can use nested query.
  • If you want to check whether a column contains empty values, you must use ExistsQuery together with mustNotQueries of BoolQuery.
  • If one of the following conditions is met, the system considers that a column does not to exist. In this example, the city column is used.
    • The type of the city column in the search index is a basic type such as keyword. If a row in which the city column does not exist in the data table, the search index considers that the city column does not exist.
    • The type of the city column in the search index is a basic type such as keyword. If a row in which the value of the city column is an empty array in the data table ("city" = "[]"), the search index considers that the city column does not exist.

Prerequisites

  • An OTSClient instance is initialized. For more information, see Initialization.
  • A data table is created. Data is written to the table.
  • A search index is created for the data table. For more information, see Create search indexes.

Parameters

ParameterDescription
TableNameThe name of the table.
IndexNameThe name of the search index.
QueryThe query type. Set the parameter to existsQuery.
GetTotalCount Specifies whether to return the total number of rows that meet the query conditions. The default value of this parameter is false, which indicates that the total number of rows that meet the query conditions is not returned.

If you set this parameter to true, the query performance is compromised.

FieldNameThe name of the field that you want to match.
ColumnsToGetSpecifies whether to return all columns of each row that meets the query conditions. You can configure ReturnAll, Columns, and ReturnAllFromIndex for this parameter.
The default value of ReturnAll is false, which indicates that not all columns are returned. You can use one of the following methods to specify the columns that you want to return. If you do not use the following methods to specify the columns that you want to return, only the primary key columns are returned.
  • Configure Columns to specify the columns that you want to return.
  • Set ReturnAllFromIndex to true to return all columns from the search index.

If you set ReturnAll to true, all columns are returned.

Examples

/// <summary>
/// Use ExistsQuery to query the rows in which the value of the pk0 column is not empty. 
/// </summary>
/// <param name="otsClient"></param>
public static void ExistsQuery(OTSClient otsClient)
{
    ExistsQuery existsQuery = new ExistsQuery
    {
        FieldName = "pk0"
    };

    SearchQuery searchQuery = new SearchQuery
    {
        Query = existsQuery,
        GetTotalCount = false
    };

    SearchRequest searchRequest = new SearchRequest(TableName, IndexName, searchQuery);
    SearchResponse searchResponse = otsClient.Search(searchRequest);

    Console.WriteLine(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(searchResponse));
}