How to Get All the Files From a Folder in SharePoint 2013 Online Using REST API

Introduction

SharePoint 2013 introduces a Representational State Transfer (REST) service that is comparable to the existing SharePoint client object models. This allows the developers to interact remotely with SharePoint data by using any technology that supports REST web requests. This means that developers can perform Create, Read, Update and Delete (CRUD) operations from their apps for SharePoint, solutions and client applications, using REST web technologies and standard Open Data Protocol (OData) syntax. I have a Document Library named “Documents” in which I have created a folder named “FolderA”. FolderA has the following files.

files

In this article you will see the following:

Create an app using the NAPA Tool in SharePoint 2013 Online.
Cross-Domain Requests.
Get all the files from the folder using the REST API.

Endpoint URI

https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/web/getfolderbyserverrelativeurl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA')/files

Note: If you are making cross-domain requests then you need to add SP.AppContextSite(@target) and ?@target='<host web url>' to the endpoint URI.

HTTP Request

GET: Read a Resource.

JSON

{
"d": {
"results": [
{
"__metadata": {
"id": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared Documents/FolderA/How to create a calculated field in SharePoint 2013 Online using REST Service.docx')",
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')",
"type": "SP.File"
},
"Author": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/Author"
}
},
"CheckedOutByUser": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/CheckedOutByUser"
}
},
"ListItemAllFields": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/ListItemAllFields"
}
},
"LockedByUser": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/LockedByUser"
}
},
"ModifiedBy": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/ModifiedBy"
}
},
"Versions": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20create%20a%20calculated%20field%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/Versions"
}
},
"CheckInComment": "",
"CheckOutType": 2,
"ContentTag": "{4C58C25B-400F-44A8-8F5B-A8DFE29DFB51},1,2",
"CustomizedPageStatus": 0,
"ETag": "\"{4C58C25B-400F-44A8-8F5B-A8DFE29DFB51},1\"",
"Exists": true,
"Length": "246692",
"Level": 1,
"MajorVersion": 1,
"MinorVersion": 0,
"Name": "How to create a calculated field in SharePoint 2013 Online using REST Service.docx",
"ServerRelativeUrl": "/Shared Documents/FolderA/How to create a calculated field in SharePoint 2013 Online using REST Service.docx",
"TimeCreated": "2014-05-05T04:01:23Z",
"TimeLastModified": "2014-05-05T04:01:23Z",
"Title": "",
"UIVersion": 512,
"UIVersionLabel": "1.0",
"UniqueId": "4c58c25b-400f-44a8-8f5b-a8dfe29dfb51"
},
{
"__metadata": {
"id": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared Documents/FolderA/How to add a field in the list in SharePoint 2013 Online using REST Service.docx')",
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')",
"type": "SP.File"
},
"Author": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/Author"
}
},
"CheckedOutByUser": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/CheckedOutByUser"
}
},
"ListItemAllFields": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/ListItemAllFields"
}
},
"LockedByUser": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/LockedByUser"
}
},
"ModifiedBy": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/ModifiedBy"
}
},
"Versions": {
"__deferred": {
"uri": "https://c986.sharepoint.com/_api/Web/GetFileByServerRelativeUrl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA/How%20to%20add%20a%20field%20in%20the%20list%20in%20SharePoint%202013%20Online%20using%20REST%20Service.docx')/Versions"
}
},
"CheckInComment": "",
"CheckOutType": 2,
"ContentTag": "{74CC3C7E-856B-424A-89A9-D740E2A38E53},1,2",
"CustomizedPageStatus": 0,
"ETag": "\"{74CC3C7E-856B-424A-89A9-D740E2A38E53},1\"",
"Exists": true,
"Length": "219736",
"Level": 1,
"MajorVersion": 1,
"MinorVersion": 0,
"Name": "How to add a field in the list in SharePoint 2013 Online using REST Service.docx",
"ServerRelativeUrl": "/Shared Documents/FolderA/How to add a field in the list in SharePoint 2013 Online using REST Service.docx",
"TimeCreated": "2014-05-05T04:01:12Z",
"TimeLastModified": "2014-05-05T04:01:12Z",
"Title": "",
"UIVersion": 512,
"UIVersionLabel": "1.0",
"UniqueId": "74cc3c7e-856b-424a-89a9-d740e2a38e53"
}
]
}
}

Use the following procedure to create an app using the NAPA Tool:

Navigate to the SharePoint 2013 Online site.
Click on Site Contents in the quick launch bar.
Click on “Napa” Office 365 Development Tools.
Click on Add New Project.
Select App for SharePoint, enter the Project name and then click on Create.

Permissions

Ensure appropriate permission is provided to access the content. Click on Properties button, and then click on Permissions. Set the required permission to access the content.

Permissions

Default.aspx

Replace the contents of Default.aspx with the following:

<%-- The markup and script in the following Content element will be placed in the <head>of the page --%>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderAdditionalPageHead" runat="server">
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ajax/jQuery/jquery-1.9.1.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/15/sp.runtime.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/15/sp.js"></script>
<!-- Add your CSS styles to the following file -->
<link rel="Stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../Content/App.css" />
<!-- Add your JavaScript to the following file -->
<script type="text/javascript" src="../Scripts/App.js"></script>
</asp:content>
<%-- The markup in the following Content element will be placed in the TitleArea of the page --%>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderPageTitleInTitleArea" runat="server">Page Title</asp:content>
<%-- The markup and script in the following Content element will be placed in the <body>of the page --%>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderPageTitleInTitleArea" runat="server">REST API Examples</asp:content>
<%-- The markup and script in the following Content element will be placed in the <body>of the page --%>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderMain" runat="server">
<div>
<p>
<b>Files</b>
<br />
<select style="height:300px; width:500px" multiple="multiple" id="selectFiles"></select>
</p>
</div>
</asp:content>

App.js

Replace the contents of App.js with the following:

  'use strict'; 
    var hostweburl;
    var appweburl;
    // Load the required SharePoint libraries.
    $(document).ready(function () {
        //Get the URI decoded URLs.
        hostweburl = decodeURIComponent(getQueryStringParameter("SPHostUrl"));
        appweburl = decodeURIComponent(getQueryStringParameter("SPAppWebUrl"));
        // Resources are in URLs in the form:
        // web_url/_layouts/15/resource
        var scriptbase = hostweburl + "/_layouts/15/";
        // Load the js file and continue to load the page with information.
        // SP.RequestExecutor.js to make cross-domain requests
        $.getScript(scriptbase + "SP.RequestExecutor.js", loadPage);
    });
    // Utilities
    // Retrieve a query string value.
    // For production purposes you may want to use a library to handle the query string.
    function getQueryStringParameter(paramToRetrieve) {
        var params = document.URL.split("?")[1].split("&");
        for (var i = 0; i < params.length; i = i + 1) {
            var singleParam = params[i].split("=");
            if (singleParam[0] == paramToRetrieve) return singleParam[1];
        }
    }
    function loadPage() {
        getFiles();
    }
    //Retrieve all the files from the folder
    function getFiles() {
        var executor;
        // Initialize the RequestExecutor with the app web URL.
        executor = new SP.RequestExecutor(appweburl);
        executor.executeAsync({
            url: appweburl + "/_api/SP.AppContextSite(@target)/web//getfolderbyserverrelativeurl('/Shared%20Documents/FolderA')/files?@target='" + hostweburl + "'",
            method: "GET",
            headers: {
                "Accept": "application/json; odata=verbose"
            },
            success: getFilesSuccessHandler,
            error: getFilesErrorHandler
        });
    }
    //Populate the selectFiles control after retrieving all the files from the folder.
    function getFilesSuccessHandler(data) {
        var jsonObject = JSON.parse(data.body);
        var selectFiles = document.getElementById("selectFiles");
        if (selectFiles.hasChildNodes()) {
            while (selectFiles.childNodes.length >= 1) {
                selectFiles.removeChild(selectFiles.firstChild);
            }
        }
        var results = jsonObject.d.results;
        for (var i = 0; i < results.length; i++) {
            var selectOption = document.createElement("option");
            selectOption.value = results[i].Name;
            selectOption.innerText = results[i].Name;
            selectFiles.appendChild(selectOption);
        }
    }
    function getFilesErrorHandler(data, errorCode, errorMessage) {
        alert("Could not get the files: " + errorMessage);
    }

Deploy the App

Click on Run Project.
The app will be packaged, deployed and launched.
Click on “Click here to launch your app in a new window”.
Click on Trust it.
All the files from the folder are displayed.

Summary

Thus in this article you saw how to get all the files from the folder using the REST API in SharePoint 2013 Online.