CrossListQueryInfo filtering on content type: no results

Question

I'm trying to use CrossListQueryInfo to query all Pages Libraries (ServerTemplate 850) across the site collection for a particular custom content type. However, specifying the content type in the query returns no results.

If I leave out the content type clause, results do come back, so the problem probably doesn't lie in the ViewFields.

I suspect my Content Type is broken somehow (filtering on another custom content type works perfectly) but I have no idea where to start.

Query:

<Where>
  <Eq>
    <FieldRef Name='ContentType' />
    <Value Type='Text'>Custom News Article</Value>
  </Eq>
</Where>
<OrderBy>
  <FieldRef Name=\"ArticleStartDate\" Ascending=\"FALSE\"></FieldRef>
</OrderBy>

Code:

CrossListQueryInfo query1 = new CrossListQueryInfo();
query1.Query = clause.ToString(); // See above

if (rowLimit > 0) query1.RowLimit = rowLimit;
query1.ViewFields = viewFields;
query1.Lists = string.Format("<Lists ServerTemplate=\"850\" />");
query1.Webs = "<Webs Scope=\"SiteCollection\" />";
query1.WebUrl = SPContext.Current.Site.RootWeb.ServerRelativeUrl;

Answer 1

Maybe late, but the fix is to change <Eq> for <BeginsWith>, using the ContentTypeId. The contenttype of the list item is actually a CHILD of the content type you are searching for.

Answer 2

Try switching your search from a site collection scope to a a recursive search(i.e. Webs Scope="Recursive").

Answer 3

I have not done extensive research on this, but I have had similar experiences...

I have not yet found the ultimate answer to this but here are a couple of things you can try:

<Where><Eq><FieldRef Name='ContentTypeId' /><Value Type='Text'>123...</Value></Eq></Where>

Or

<Where><Eq><FieldRef Name='ContentType' /><Value Type='Computed'>MyPageType</Value></Eq></Where>

I have basically been trying out different things untill I got results, and from glancing over my code, these are the ones which are left in the codebase :)

My queries have usually been combined with other conditions involving 'TaxCatchAll' so your mileage may vary.