Query MongoDb document by nested element

Question

I am trying to find the syntax to delete a mongoDB record using PHP, but every example I find on internet only shows how to do it if the deletion criteria is one level...

So if I have a mongoDB record like this:

{ 
        "_id" : ObjectId("50d69d6a1d26a8a0c1eaecf8"), 
        "name" : "John",
        ...other fields...

The I can delete it using the syntax:

$collection->remove(array('name' => 'John'));

This is fine, however my problem is that the key I need to lookup for deletion is one more level down.

So I have a record that looks like this:

{
    "_id" : ObjectId("54f2aaa3452a235c049000029"),
    "synthOrder" : {
        "orderId" : "899422",
        ...other fields...

I want to delete records in which orderId is say, 899422. So what would my deletion line be like?

I tried:

$collection->remove(array('synthOrder' => array('orderId' => '899422')));

I feel it is a simple syntax issue, but I am not able to find any example online. I appreciate any pointers!

Neil Lunn · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-01 06:44:33Z

2

It's fairly simple, but perhaps an explanation. The query you are trying would only match a document that looked exactly like this:

{
    "synthOrder": {
        "orderId": "899422"
    }
}

Meaning that there is only "one" element within the nested element since that is what your syntax is actually asking.

For this reason MongoDB uses "dot notation" for referencing individual nested elements:

$collection->remove( array( 'synthOrder.orderId' => '899422'));

That allows referencing without it looking like an "explicit" document, which is what you were doing in the form you tried.

answered Mar 1, 2015 at 6:44

Neil Lunn

151k36 gold badges356 silver badges327 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Query MongoDb document by nested element

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related