How to fix missing Base-64 encode keys option when creating indexer in Azure AI Search

Question

How to fix missing Base-64 encode keys option when creating indexer in Azure AI Search

Christoph Rippe 15

I am trying to complete the exercise for this module https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/create-azure-cognitive-search-solution/ However when I want to create the Indexer the instruction tells me to use the Base-64 encode keys option(Step 13), but this option does not exist anymore. That means that I am unable to create an indexer since my metadata_storage_path which should serve as a key has non-allowed characters in it (so does the metadata_storage_name). Can you please help me with this issue.

Thanks a lot

VarunTha 14,850 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-15T05:51:28.0866667+00:00

Hi Christoph Rippe,
Could you please share a screenshot of the error for more effective communication?
Christoph Rippe 15 Reputation points

2025-04-15T07:51:28.12+00:00

This is the error that I get when I try to follow this instruction from the Exercise:
When I try to create the indexer from the Azure Portal. These are the options that I can select. Please note that there is no Base-64-encode keys option
AmarMishra-2850 5 Reputation points

2025-04-15T15:44:14.25+00:00

And when you run the indexer, you get the following errors:
VarunTha 14,850 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-16T06:23:58.0533333+00:00

Hi Christoph Rippe,
Thanks for bringing this to our notice, we will reach out internally and resolve the issue at the earliest.
Suhas Mitra 10 Reputation points

2025-04-16T14:49:11.86+00:00

Facing same issue.
Architect Develop Deliver 10 Reputation points

2025-04-16T18:35:49.4933333+00:00

We are experiencing the same issue as well.

Thanks for looking into this.
Lee Bryant 0 Reputation points

2025-04-17T19:50:06.2266667+00:00

Facing same issue

1 answer

Your answer

VarunTha 14,850 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-15T05:51:28.0866667+00:00

Hi Christoph Rippe,
Could you please share a screenshot of the error for more effective communication?
Christoph Rippe 15 Reputation points

2025-04-15T07:51:28.12+00:00

This is the error that I get when I try to follow this instruction from the Exercise:
When I try to create the indexer from the Azure Portal. These are the options that I can select. Please note that there is no Base-64-encode keys option
AmarMishra-2850 5 Reputation points

2025-04-15T15:44:14.25+00:00

And when you run the indexer, you get the following errors:
VarunTha 14,850 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-16T06:23:58.0533333+00:00

Hi Christoph Rippe,
Thanks for bringing this to our notice, we will reach out internally and resolve the issue at the earliest.
Suhas Mitra 10 Reputation points

2025-04-16T14:49:11.86+00:00

Facing same issue.
Architect Develop Deliver 10 Reputation points

2025-04-16T18:35:49.4933333+00:00

We are experiencing the same issue as well.

Thanks for looking into this.
Lee Bryant 0 Reputation points

2025-04-17T19:50:06.2266667+00:00

Facing same issue

Answer 1

Architect Develop Deliver 10

How we fixed this issue:

1.) Navigate to the applicable AI Search Resource

2.) Select Search management -> Indexers

3.) Open the indexer that has the issue.

4.) Click the "{} Edit JSON" tab.

5.) Locate the "fieldsMappings" section of the JSON markup.

6.) Apply the following:

"fieldMappings": [

{

"sourceFieldName": "metadata_storage_path",

"targetFieldName": "metadata_storage_path",

"mappingFunction": {

  "name": "base64Encode",

  "parameters": null

}

}

]

7.) Click Save, which will navigate back to the Indexers

8.) Click the Run button to rerun the indexer process.

9.) Done!

Good Luck!

AmarMishra-2850 5

The JSON for the indexer is a bit different in this case, please advise how to fix. Do we have to replace in all occurrences of mapping function?

{
  "@odata.context": "https://az-search-resource.search.windows.net/$metadata#indexers/$entity",
  "@odata.etag": "\"0x8DD7C33FDCAEFDF\"",
  "name": "coffee-indexer",
  "description": "",
  "dataSourceName": "coffee-customer-data",
  "skillsetName": "coffee-skillset",
  "targetIndexName": "coffee-index",
  "disabled": null,
  "schedule": null,
  "parameters": {
    "batchSize": null,
    "maxFailedItems": 0,
    "maxFailedItemsPerBatch": 0,
    "configuration": {
      "dataToExtract": "contentAndMetadata",
      "parsingMode": "default",
      "imageAction": "generateNormalizedImages"
    }
  },
  "fieldMappings": [],
  "outputFieldMappings": [
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/merged_content/pages/*/locations/*",
      "targetFieldName": "locations",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/merged_content/pages/*/keyphrases/*",
      "targetFieldName": "keyphrases",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/merged_content/pages/*/sentiment",
      "targetFieldName": "sentiment",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/merged_content",
      "targetFieldName": "merged_content",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/normalized_images/*/text",
      "targetFieldName": "text",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/normalized_images/*/layoutText",
      "targetFieldName": "layoutText",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/normalized_images/*/imageTags/*/name",
      "targetFieldName": "imageTags",
      "mappingFunction": null
    },
    {
      "sourceFieldName": "/document/normalized_images/*/imageCaption",
      "targetFieldName": "imageCaption",
      "mappingFunction": null
    }
  ],
  "cache": null,
  "encryptionKey": null
}

AmarMishra-2850 5 Reputation points

2025-04-17T03:03:57.1033333+00:00

Updated all occurrences, still got the same error when running the indexer:
Maikel Jonkers 15 Reputation points

2025-04-17T05:59:52.38+00:00
I just put the code of @Architect Develop Deliver between the brackets of "Fieldmapping", saved and restarted the indexer and it was succesfull. Just to show the part:

.... }, "fieldMappings": [ { "sourceFieldName": "metadata_storage_path", "targetFieldName": "metadata_storage_path", "mappingFunction": { "name": "base64Encode", "parameters": null } } ], ....
Architect Develop Deliver 10 Reputation points

2025-04-17T14:02:19.42+00:00

Maikel Jonkers solution is the correct JSON format. I neglected to properly format the JSON. Maikel Jonkers format is what should be used in the "fieldMappings" section of the JSON.

Maikel, thanks for showing the correct format.

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How to fix missing Base-64 encode keys option when creating indexer in Azure AI Search

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