Edit a source JSON configuration

This is for:

Developer System Administrator

The source configuration in JSON format contains source parameters in key-value pairs. While many of the parameters can be configured through the Coveo Administration Console user interface, others, such as rarely used parameters or new parameters that aren’t yet editable through the user interface, can only be changed or added in the JSON configuration.

Members with the required privileges can use the Edit configuration with JSON panel to review specific aspects of the source configuration.

Use the Edit configuration with JSON panel to customize the source only for documented changes or when instructed to do so by Coveo Support. You should be a developer or, at least, have an understanding of JSON syntax before changing the source JSON configuration.

Notes

  • All members who can edit a source can also see and edit the source configuration in JSON format.

  • All JSON source configurations (not the data) are backed up.

  • When two changes occur simultaneously (one in the source configuration user interface and the other in the Edit configuration with JSON panel), changes are merged if possible.

If not, changes in the source configuration user interface have priority over the ones made in the JSON configuration. * Sensitive data isn’t shown in the JSON configuration for security reasons.

Access the "Edit configuration with JSON" panel

On the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page, click the desired source, and then click More > Edit configuration with JSON in the Action bar.

Edit the JSON configuration

Important

  • Only edit documented parameters or do so when instructed by Coveo Support. For some sources in the connector directory, you’ll find a JSON modification child article that documents the parameters you can modify in the Parameters section. The Source JSON modification options page also describes some common parameters.

  • Before making any changes to the JSON configuration, always copy and save the entire original configuration somewhere to ensure that you can revert your changes if something goes wrong.

To edit the JSON configuration of a source

  1. Access the "Edit configuration with JSON" panel.

  2. In the Edit configuration with JSON panel, when you know the section in which you want to make changes, you can select its tab.

  3. When you know the parameter or value that you want to change, you can search for it.

  4. Make the changes in the JSON configuration box.

    Tip

    The editor provides real-time syntax error highlighting, underlining issues directly in the JSON configuration. You can hover over the highlighted error for a description of the issue. For example, in the configuration below, the trailing comma on line 31 makes the JSON invalid.

    Invalid json error

  5. Add notes about your changes.

  6. When you’re done and the JSON is valid, save your changes.

    • Click Save to save your changes and close the panel.

    • Click Save and rebuild source if you’re ready to rebuild your source to make changes effective.

      Notes

      • Clicking Save defers the source rebuild operation, which is necessary to apply changes to the indexed items. If you’re sure that your changes won’t affect the indexed items in any way, such as changes relative to the source credentials, you may click Save to avoid an irrelevant rebuild operation.

      • If you made changes that will affect the indexed items, we recommend that you rather use the Save and rebuild source option.

      • If you change fields or mappings and don’t rebuild the source, the changes will apply only to new source items following a source refresh.

  7. If you clicked Save, your changes will apply following the next source update operation. You can either wait for the next scheduled update or manually launch a source update on the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page.

  8. Validate that the changes yield the expected results.

Show only one configuration section

The JSON configuration information may contain a lot of information. It’s divided into several sections. By default, the All tab is active, displaying the full JSON configuration in its designated box. Click any other tab to view only the corresponding section of the configuration in the JSON configuration box.

The available tabs are:

  • All: shows the entire JSON configuration.

  • Configuration: lists source parameters, item configuration, permissions, and address patterns which are used to retrieve items from a system.

  • File types: lists the file type handling configurations.

  • Parameters: lists general and source-type-specific parameters that let you customize the source behavior.

    Tip

    For many sources in the connector directory, you’ll find a JSON modification child article that details the parameters you can modify in the Parameters section.

  • Mappings: lists all definitions that map content (metadata or a specific value) to a Coveo index field.

  • Objects: lists all Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce objects selected to be contained in the source.

  • Pre-conversion extensions/Post-conversion extensions: lists any extensions applied to the source.

Search for a keyword

Use the implemented search feature to find source configuration elements such as parameter names and values.

  1. Access the "Edit configuration with JSON" panel.

  2. In the panel, ensure that the All tab is selected if you want to search the entire JSON configuration.

You can also select another tab to show only one configuration section.

  1. Perform your keyword search.

    1. Click anywhere in the JSON configuration box.

    2. Near the upper-right corner of the JSON configuration box, click search2. Alternatively, select Ctrl-F (Windows) or Command-F (Mac).

    3. In the search field that appears, start typing the desired keywords.
      As you type, the keyword occurrences are marked using yellow squares on the right edge of the JSON configuration box and highlighted in the box itself. The box content scrolls when needed to ensure that the first keyword occurrence is visible.

      Note

      The search feature supports case-sensitive search, "match whole word", and regular expression matching.

    4. Continue typing until the box scrolls to the parameter or value you’re looking for. Alternatively, use the searchbar arrows or click the yellow squares on the right edge of the JSON configuration box to navigate between keyword occurrences.

Add notes about your changes

Making changes through the JSON configuration provides flexibility, but changes history isn’t tracked automatically. Therefore, it’s important to log modifications to ensure that all team members are aware of the changes, which makes troubleshooting easier.

Use the Comments area at the bottom of the panel to log any changes made in the JSON configuration.

Example

2025-03-08 Michael Baker: Changed RequestsTimeoutInSeconds from 60 to 300 to minimize timeouts on slow systems.