SharePoint 2013 : How to overcome List Threshold Limits using OData Continuation

While working with SharePoint Large List we all must have encountered the issues with restricted access to the list due to List Threshold Limits.

In this article we see the solution to this problem that can be implemented using OData Continuation in conjunction with REST API.

In order to demonstrate this solution I am making use of SharePoint Hosted App as in shown in below steps-

• Create SharePoint App Project by choosing “App for SharePoint 2013” Project Template

• Specify Host Web URL
• Select SharePoint -Hosted as hosting model

Wait while Visual Studio configure the Project for you

In order to showcase the data access from a Large SharePoint List, I have added a list with 1 Lakh items in it and default Threshold limits are still intact

Now add some HTML for the UI in the Start Page of the App (default.aspx)

Step 1: Adding container for the HTML Button

Step 2: Adding HTML Button that will execute the code in action

So the final UI would look like as below-

Now add some JavaScript code in App.js File

Step 3: Bind the event handler with the HTML Button in “document.ready()” function

Step 4: Adding a helper function “getQueryStringParameter()” that will help us to extract the Query String Parameters

In the Callback function “oDataContinuations” we have following steps executing-

Step 5: Getting value of “SPHostUrl” by using “getQueryStringParameter()” helper function

Step 6: Getting value of “SPAppWebUrl” by using “getQueryStringParameter()” helper function

Step 7: Loading “SP.RequestExecutor.js ” JavaScript file as we need to issue a Cross Domain Call from SharePoint App to Host Web

Step 8: Prepare the URL to execute the Cross Domain Call to the Large List present in the Host Web

Step 9: Instantiate the object of Request Executor based on the App URL

Step 10: Calling “executeAsync” method of Request Executor Object

This function needs a JSON object with configuration values like

url: Specify the Url to execute Cross Domain Call

method: Specify the Request access method (GET or POST)

datatype: Specify the expected return type of the response (JSON)

headers: Specify the Request Headers

Step 11: On successful execution of this request, response object would return back with a property “__next” which contains the direct URL to the next set of records which can be queried from the list, check for this property and make sure it exists before proceed further

Step 12: Get the Url to the next result set

Step 13: Call the “getItems()” method recursively with the new Url returned by response object “__next” property

With this we are all done with the code.

But before we move any further we need to allow the permission for the App on Host Web since we need to query the data from the list which is hanging inside the Host Web.

Step 1: Go to App Manifest File => Permission Tab

Step 2: Specify Read permission

Build the Solution and Deploy it

Trust the App when asked for

Provide the credentials when asked for

Click on “Manage Threshold Limits”

See to the Result Panel and sure enough you will find records adding continuously based on the Paginated REST Calls driven by Odata Continuation

This is a simple demonstration to showcase how we can effectively make use of Paginated REST Calls driven by Odata Continuation to overcome issues related to List Threshold Limits.

Hope you find it helpful.

by Prashant Bansal via Everyone's Blog Posts - SharePoint Community