Location of CAML
CAML, the XML-based language used throughout SharePoint Team Services from Microsoft, is implemented in schemas and HTML files in the wwwroot and web server extensions folders of a SharePoint team Web site. The contents of the web server extensions folder represent global settings on the server and provide templates for creating new sites, while the contents of the wwwroot folder are used at run time and represent a specific instance of a site.
The following directories are the primary locations of files where you can edit CAML:
- List of Lists table (tp_Fields column) and Views table (tp_View column) in the server database — Contain metadata that describes lists and views.
- Inetpub\wwwroot\_layouts — Contains general purpose forms used to create new views or lists and to modify site settings at the site's top level.
- Inetpub\wwwroot\Lists — Each subfolder contains HTML files that are used in forms for creating or modifying a specific list on a team Web site.
- Inetpub\wwwroot\Shared Documents\Forms — Contains HTML files that are used in forms for document libraries.
- Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\50\Templates\1033\Layouts — Contains HTML template files used for creating the forms that are instantiated in the _layouts folder of wwwroot. Each subfolder in the Layouts folder in turn contains a SCHEMA.XML file that serves as a template for defining the fields, forms, and views of the given list represented by the subfolder. Each of these folders also includes HTML files that apply CAML.
- Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\50\Templates\1033\xml — Contains the five core XML schemas that provide basic definition of types. The following table describes these files that are used in schema definition.
Schema Description BASE.XML Defines the schema for built-in base types for lists. DOCICON.XML Used for mapping file extensions to particular icons. FLDTYPES.XML Defines how field types are rendered. ONET.XML Defines the schema for built-in base types of lists. STDVIEW.XML Defines the base view used when creating new views.
In addition to the locations listed here, you can also add CAML data islands directly to HTML files on the team Web site. The CAML ows: namespace must be specified in the containing element for the data island.
Note The Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\50\Templates\admisapi folder contains files used in administration of the site. CAML is not used in these files and their contents should not be altered.
Caution Changes to files in the web server extensions \...\Templates folder can break functionality in SharePoint Team Services. It is recommended that you make any changes on a test server first and then copy the final files to a production server.