Understanding Sharepoint CAML query

Introduction

Sharepoint CAML query is difficult to understand. Here I have provided a quick method to create CAML query.

Sharepoint

Caml Query

• A caml query is build in two parts.
  • 1) Sort
  • 2) Filter
• Sort part is the sorting based on some columns
• Filter part is the where clause of the CAML query
• In order to build up the XML for the CAML we create the where clause as follows:
  • Write the where clause just as you write in sql
  • Find out the operators such as =, <=, <,> etc.
  • Find out the keywords for these operators in CAML language. For example = is eq, < is lt and so on.
  • Break the sql string such that the operator comes first and then comes the operands. Continue this till the whole string is completed in this fashion.
  • Replace the operators with the keywords in CAML language.
  • Example: where column1=”a” and column2=”b” and column3 like ‘%c%’
  • => where (column1=”a” and column2=”b”) and column3 like ‘%c%’
  • => where and (column1=”a” and column2=”b”) (column3 like ‘%c%’)
  • => where and (and (column1=”a” column2=”b”) column3 like ‘%c%’)
  • => where and and (= column1 a column2 b) contains column3 c
  • => where and and eq column1 a eq column2 b contains column3 c
  • => <where>

<and>

          <and>

                   <eq>

                             <FieldRef name=”Column1” />

                             <Value Type=string>a</Value>

                   </eq>

                   <eq>

                             <FieldRef name=”Column2” />

                             <Value Type=string>b</Value>                                 

 </eq>

          </and>

          <contains>

                   <FieldRef name=”Column3” />

                   <Value Type=string>c</Value>

          </contains>

</and>

                           </where>

Points of Interest

History

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