Understanding getXML() and getXMLAnswer() in ServiceNow — Complete Guide with Use Cases

[chandu kodurupa]

Detailed Explanation of getXML() and getXMLAnswer() in ServiceNow

Hello ServiceNow Community! 👋

Introduction

In ServiceNow, working with records programmatically is mostly done via GlideRecord. Sometimes, you need the entire record’s data in a structured format, such as XML. ServiceNow provides two related methods for this purpose:

• getXML()

• getXMLAnswer()

Though they sound similar, they serve slightly different purposes and are used in different contexts. Understanding these methods thoroughly helps in writing efficient server and client-server scripts, especially when working with synchronous vs asynchronous operations.

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What is getXML()?

• getXML() is a server-side GlideRecord method.

• It returns the full XML representation of a single record.

• This XML string contains all the fields and their values of the current GlideRecord row.

• The method works only when the GlideRecord is positioned on a valid record, e.g., after a .get() or .next() call.

How does it work internally?

• Once a record is fetched, getXML() converts all field data into an XML format string, structured with field tags and values.

• This XML can be used for:

  • Debugging (see all fields in one output)

  • Data transfer

  • Auditing and logging snapshots of records

  • Comparing records by XML content

Important notes:

• Since it returns an XML string, it can be large for records with many fields.

• It’s synchronous — meaning the script waits until the data is fetched and XML is generated.

• Only available in server-side scripts — cannot be used on the client directly.

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Example usage of getXML():

var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');

if (gr.get('number', 'INC0010001')) {

var xmlData = gr.getXML();

gs.info('Incident record XML:\n' + xmlData);

}

What is getXMLAnswer()?

• getXMLAnswer() is a method on the GlideRecord query result object used for asynchronous queries.

• When you execute an asynchronous GlideRecord query (using .query(function(result){})), getXMLAnswer() is called inside the callback to get the XML string of the record data.

• It essentially serves the same purpose as getXML() but for async query results.

Why async?

• Sometimes you want your server-side script to run non-blocking queries that don’t halt execution while waiting for data.

• Async queries are common in GlideAjax calls or long-running server scripts.

• getXMLAnswer() lets you access the XML inside the async callback when data is ready.

Important notes:

• getXMLAnswer() can only be called inside the callback function after the async query completes.

• The callback gives you a query result object, which has this method.

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Example usage of getXMLAnswer():

var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');

gr.addQuery('active', true);

gr.query(function(result) {

var xmlData = result.getXMLAnswer();

gs.info('Async Incident XML:\n' + xmlData);

});

 

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Real-World Use Case Examples

1. Fetch and log record XML synchronously (using getXML())

var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');

if (gr.get('sys_id', 'some_sys_id')) {

var recordXml = gr.getXML();

gs.info('Record XML:\n' + recordXml);

}

2. Use async query with getXMLAnswer() inside GlideAjax Script Include

var IncidentXMLAjax = Class.create();

IncidentXMLAjax.prototype = Object.extendsObject(AbstractAjaxProcessor, {

getIncidentXMLAsync: function() { var incNumber = this.getParameter('sysparm_inc_number');

var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');

gr.addQuery('number', incNumber);

gr.query(function(result) {

var xml = result.getXMLAnswer();

gs.info('Async XML inside Script Include: ' + xml); // return or process XML here if needed }); } });

3. Client-side GlideAjax call triggering above Script Include

var ga = new GlideAjax('IncidentXMLAjax');

ga.addParam('sysparm_name', 'getIncidentXMLAsync');

ga.addParam('sysparm_inc_number', 'INC0010001');

ga.getXMLAnswer(function(response) {

alert('Received XML from server:', response);

});

 

Important Considerations

• Performance: Calling getXML() on large records or many records can impact performance due to large XML string size.

• Security: Be careful exposing sensitive fields in XML when sending data back to client.

• Use Async Where Possible: For long queries or calls from client-side, use asynchronous GlideRecord queries with getXMLAnswer() inside the callback to keep the system responsive.

• Parsing XML: On the client side, XML strings received via GlideAjax can be parsed using standard JavaScript DOMParser or libraries for further processing.