Using MongoDB's positional operator $ in a deeply nested document query

Question

Is it possible to use positional operator \'$\' in combination with a query on a deeply-nested document array?

Consider the following nested document defining a \'us

Answer 1

You get an error from

db.users.findOne(
    { username: 'test', 'kingdoms.buildings.type': 'castle' },
    { kingdoms: {$slice: [n, 1]}, 'kingdom.buildings.$': 1 }
);

because there is a spelling mistake ("kingdom.buildings.$" should be "kingdoms.buildings.$").
However, this way can not accomplish what you expect.
$ is always aimed at kingdoms in the path of kingdoms.buildings - the first array.

This is a way that should be able to solve the problem.
(V2.6+ required)

db.c.aggregate([ {
    $match : {
        username : 'test',
        'kingdoms.buildings.type' : 'castle'
    }
}, {
    $project : {
        _id : 0,
        kingdoms : 1
    }
}, {
    $redact : {
        $cond : {
            "if" : {
                $or : [ {
                    $gt : [ "$kingdoms", [] ]
                }, {
                    $gt : [ "$buildings", [] ]
                }, {
                    $eq : [ "$type", "castle" ]
                } ]
            },
            "then" : "$$DESCEND",
            "else" : "$$PRUNE"
        }
    }
} ]).pretty();

---

To only reserve the first element of kingdoms,

db.c.aggregate([ {
    $match : {
        username : 'test',
        'kingdoms.buildings.type' : 'castle'
    }
}, {
    $redact : {
        $cond : {
            "if" : {
                $or : [ {
                    $gt : [ "$kingdoms", [] ]
                }, {
                    $gt : [ "$buildings", [] ]
                }, {
                    $eq : [ "$type", "castle" ]
                } ]
            },
            "then" : "$$DESCEND",
            "else" : "$$PRUNE"
        }
    }
}, {
    $unwind : "$kingdoms"
}, {
    $group : {
        _id : "$_id",
        kingdom : {
            $first : "$kingdoms"
        }
    }
}, {
    $group : {
        _id : "$_id",
        kingdoms : {
            $push : "$kingdom"
        }
    }
}, {
    $project : {
        _id : 0,
        kingdoms : 1
    }
} ]).pretty();