Pull values from a lookup column using SPServices()

Question

I would like to retrieve values from a lookup column (pull down) using SPServices() and load an array in javascript. This is available only in Newform.aspx. How can I do this?

Answer 1

Instead of looking at it as pulling values from a lookup column, pull values from the list the lookup column is referencing.

here's a quick example of pulling out records and loading a drop down list

$().SPServices({
    operation: "GetListItems",
    listName: "Business Types",
    async: false,
    CAMLViewFields: "<ViewFields><FieldRef Name='ID'/><FieldRef Name='Title'/><FieldRef Name='RequiredDocuments'/></ViewFields>",
    CAMLQuery: "<Query><Where><Eq><FieldRef Name='ParentType' /><Value Type='Choice'>" + bizType + "</Value></Eq></Where></Query>",
    completefunc: function (xData, Status) {
        var tmp = "";
        var subTypes = $("#ddlBusinessSubtype");
        subTypes.find("option").remove(); //clear out the existing ones if they exist

        $(xData.responseXML).find("[nodeName='z:row']").each(function () {
            subTypes.append("<option value='" + $(this).attr("ows_ID") + "'>" + $(this).attr("ows_Title") + "</option>");
        });

        setSubtypeValues();
    }
});

HTH

Answer 2

When we create lookup fields in SharePoint for example the column will be like bellow:

if we have a Position List and we have employee info which has a lookup column position OfficeDescription you could get it like bellow code

your ViewFields:

 <FieldRef Name='Position_x003a_OfficeDescription />

x003a is actually :

so you get it like bellow code:

var Position: $(this).attr("ows_Position_x003a_OfficeDescription");

This will bring the Id of position field along the title then you can use scripting techniques to clean get title only hope this helps someone who needs it, thanks