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The below query fails and throws exception. /sitecore/content/Abcdef/Sites/WXYZ/MNO/Application Contexts/Connect On Demand/Sections/Self Service/* returns "::" expected at position 92.

where as I am getting results if the query /sitecore/content/Abcdef/Sites/WXYZ/MNO/Application Contexts/Connect On Demand/Sections/*

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4 Answers 4

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The problem

You are running into one of many inherent problems with using Sitecore Query. The problem is; self is a reserved word - and therefore /Self Service/ fails.

Workarounds

Now in this instance you can (probably) work around it using some of the suggestions already given. Escape the query like .../#Self Service#/ - but this will only work if you plan to be using a static query where you know the full path in advance.

A way around this limitation would be to reconstruct the query like this:

/sitecore/content/*[@'name='Abcdef']/*[@@name='Sites']/etc etc etc/*[@@name='Self Service']/*

But it's not pretty.

Alternative Solution

Or in the case of your example query, replace the Sitecore Query call entirely, with a call to .GetItem("/sitecore/content/Abcdef/Sites/WXYZ/MNO/Application Contexts/Connect On Demand/Sections/Self Service") and .GetChildren().

References

Reserved words in Sitecore Query:

  • ancestor
  • and
  • child
  • descendant
  • div
  • false
  • following
  • mod
  • or
  • parent
  • preceding
  • self
  • true
  • xor

Links:

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  • If this really is a reserved word issue, as it certainly looks to be, I suggest raising this as a bug with Sitecore. The query parser should certainly not be returning this error for a query with self in it. Either way, escaping is needed where the path contains a space. Rewriting the query different ways doesn't solve the issue of knowing the path in advance though. You could just form the query string on the fly of course.
    – Richard Hauer
    Commented Dec 26, 2016 at 21:37
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Can you try this

/sitecore/content/Abcdef/Sites/WXYZ/MNO/Application Contexts/Connect On Demand/Sections/#Self Service#/*

Which handles escape sequence i.e. space in itemname

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  • Hi Balaji, I am querying this from the code behind. When i am trying this from the xpath builder by selecting Sitecore Query Notation I am seeing the same error though.
    – Meghan
    Commented Dec 26, 2016 at 7:37
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Each item that takes part in a query path and has a space(s) should be wrapped in ##.

/sitecore/content/Abcdef/Sites/WXYZ/MNO/#Application Contexts#/#Connect On Demand#/Sections/#Self Service#/*
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2

I was able to resolve this issue and identify a workaournd. I was using the Sitecore.Configuration.Factory.GetDatabase("master").SelectItems(query) This doesnt work if we have Sitecore reserved words. In my case I need only one item and I changed my code to use Sitecore.Configuration.Factory.GetDatabase("master").GetItem() and it works.

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