June 16, 2017

How to escape a special character in filter parameter using REST API

Scenario: 
Recently working with REST API to get items from SharePoint list filtered by title field, I got stuck. it was working fine while having data without special character. But having special character - single quote/apostrophe (') in filter parameter was giving an error. I tried by passing value using EncodeURIComponent, but it didn't work either and getting the error as shown below:


Reason: 
EncodeURIComponent, Escape or EncodeURI functions can’t escape few special characters: - _ . ! ~ * ' ( )
 
Solution:
For such special characters as filter parameter, we should double the character (2 single quotes) and use it.

Example:
Non-working REST API:
https://{Site URL} /_api/web/lists/GetByTitle('listname')/items? select=ID&$filter=Title eq 'what's up'

Working REST API:
https://{Site URL} /_api/web/lists/GetByTitle('listname')/items? select=ID&$filter=Title eq 'what''s up'

If you have any questions you can reach out our SharePoint Consulting team here.

Create a subsite programmatically using Custom Site Template through SharePoint JavaScript Object Model and REST API

Here, I'll explain you in detail how to create SharePoint sub-site programmatically using custom Site Templates through JSOM and REST API.
 
Implementation Approach: First, we need to identify Web Template Id for our custom template. programmatically. And then, we will a create sub-site using the Web Template Id.

Let's go through the code snippet, now. We have two functions in code snippet:

1. CreateSubsiteByTemplateName(title, description, webUrl, templateTitle) 
- This function will create a sub-site by Template Name. First of all, it will find out the Template Id from Template Name, and then, will call another function to create the sub-site.
Parameters Information:
    1. title= name of sub-site which you want to create Ex: "subsite1"
    2. description = description for sub-site
    3. weburl = URL for sub-site Ex: "subsite1"
    4. templateTitle= Name of custom template Ex: "Physicians"

2. CreateSubsiteByTemplateId(title, description, webUrl, templateId)
- This function will create a sub-site by Template Id.
Parameters Information:
    1. title= name of sub-site which you want to create Ex: "subsite1"
    2. description = description for sub-site.
    3. weburl = URL for sub-site Ex: "subsite1"
    4. templateId= Id of custom template Ex: "{D5729655-B3D8-4DED-B5E9-3EE09934FC80}#Physicians"

Code Snippet 1:
 function CreateSubsiteByTemplateName(title, description, webUrl, templateTitle) {   
   var context = new SP.ClientContext.get_current();   
   var web = context.get_web();   
   context.load(web);   
   var webTemplates = web.getAvailableWebTemplates(1033, false);   
   context.load(webTemplates);   
   context.executeQueryAsync(function () {   
    var enumerator = webTemplates.getEnumerator();   
    var templateId = "STS#0";   
    while (enumerator.moveNext()) {   
     var webTemplate = enumerator.get_current();   
     var webTitle = webTemplate.get_title();   
     if (webTitle == templateTitle) {   
      templateId = webTemplate.get_name();  
      break;   
     }   
    }   
    CreateSubsiteByTemplateId(title, description, webUrl, templateId);   
   },   
    function (sender, args) {   
     alert(args.get_message())   
    }   
   );   
  }  

Code Snippet 2:
 function CreateSubsiteByTemplateId(title, description, webUrl, templateId) {    
   var restAPIURL = "/_api/web/webinfos/add";    
   var newSiteData = JSON.stringify(    
   {    
   'parameters': {    
    '__metadata': {    
    'type': 'SP.WebInfoCreationInformation'    
    },    
    'Url': webUrl,    
    'Description': 'Subsite created from REST API',    
    'Title': title,    
    'Language': 1033,    
    'WebTemplate': templateId,    
    'UseUniquePermissions': true    
   }    
   });    
   $.ajax    
   ({    
   url: restAPIURL,    
   type: "POST",    
   async: false,    
   data: newSiteData,    
   headers: {    
    "accept": "application/json;odata=verbose",    
    "content-type": "application/json;odata=verbose",    
    "X-RequestDigest": $('#__REQUESTDIGEST').val()    
   },    
   success: function (data) {    
    console.log('site created');    
   },    
   error: function (data) {    
    console.log('Error creating site');    
   }    
   });    
  }    

If you have any questions you can reach out our SharePoint Consulting team here.