---
title: Modifying item bodies
slug: '2749'
canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/2749/
collection: index-content
source_format: adoc
---
# Modifying item bodies
When altering [item](https://docs.coveo.com/en/210/) bodies through an [indexing pipeline extension (IPE)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/206/), you should typically use a pre-conversion script to modify the `documentdata` stream.

While you could be tempted to use a post-conversion script to modify the `body_html` and `body_text` streams instead, doing so can lead to inconsistencies in search results.
This is mainly because item summaries and excerpts are extracted during the processing stage of the [indexing pipeline](https://docs.coveo.com/en/184/) and can no longer be altered after that.
Modifying the `documentdata` stream in a pre-conversion script is therefore always preferable.

> **Important**
>
> If you're creating your pre-conversion IPE through the [Coveo Administration Console](https://docs.coveo.com/en/183/), ensure that you select the **Original file** additional item data.
> If you're using the Extension API directly, include the `DOCUMENT_DATA` string in the `requiredDataStreams` array property of your request payload.

> **Note**
>
> YouTube items are an exception to the above recommendations.
> Their bodies are mapped from the `coveo_description` and `coveo_videoid` metadata fields, [which you can modify through a pre-conversion IPE](#modifying-youtube-item-bodies).

## Basic recipe

The following script shows a typical basic recipe for modifying item bodies through pre-conversion IPEs.

```python
# 1. Get a read-only stream
original_data = document.get_data_stream('documentdata')
# 2. Read/parse the read-only stream data to a workable format
modified_data = original_data.read().decode()
# 3. Make all necessary data alterations
modified_data = modified_data.replace('foo', 'bar')
# 4. Get a modifiable stream
modified_stream = document.DataStream('documentdata')
# 5. Overwrite the modifiable stream data with the previously altered data
modified_stream.write(modified_data)
# 6. Add the modified stream to the item
document.add_data_stream(modified_stream)
```

> **Note**
>
> When you modify the content type of `documentdata`, and not just its content, you must also specify the new content type if it's one of the following:
> 
> * `TYPE_HTML`: HTML document
> 
> * `TYPE_DOCX`: Microsoft Word 2007 Document (Zipped XML)
> 
> * `TYPE_PPTX`: Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Document (Zipped XML)
> 
> * `TYPE_XLSX`: Microsoft Excel 2007 Document (Zipped XML)
> 
> * `TYPE_PDF`: PDF (Portable Document Format)
> 
> * `TYPE_RTF`: Rich Text Format
> 
> * `TYPE_TXT`: Text (ASCII)
> 
> by performing the step below:
> 
> ```python
# 7. Specify new content type
document.add_meta_data({'detectedfileenum': ['<NEW_CONTENT_TYPE>']})
```
> 
> where `<NEW_CONTENT_TYPE>` is new content type.

## Example

This script provides a slightly more concrete example where HTML item bodies are modified through a pre-conversion IPE.

```python
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
​
read_only_stream = document.get_data_stream('documentdata')
modified_data = BeautifulSoup(read_only_stream.read().decode(), 'html.parser')
​
# Remove a node
modified_data.find(id='my-node-to-remove').decompose()
​
# Add a new node
new_node = BeautifulSoup('<p>Hello world!</p>', 'html.parser')
parent_node = modified_data.find(id='my-parent-node')
parent_node.append(new_node)
​
modified_stream = document.DataStream('documentdata')
modified_stream.write(str(modified_data))
document.add_data_stream(modified_stream)
```

## Modifying YouTube item bodies

To modify YouTube item bodies, modify the `coveo_description` and `coveo_videoid` metadata fields through a pre-conversion IPE, as you would other fields (see [Add metadata](https://docs.coveo.com/en/34#add-meta-data-method)).

The following is a sample pre-conversion script to remove the occurrences of certain strings from YouTube item bodies.

```python
old_description = document.get_meta_data_value("coveo_description")
new_description = [old.replace("Sentence to remove.", "") for old in old_description]
document.add_meta_data({ "coveo_description": new_description })
​
old_id = document.get_meta_data_value("coveo_videoid")
new_id = [old.replace("String to remove", "") for old in old_id]
document.add_meta_data({ "coveo_videoid": new_id })
```