SharePoint filter and sort commands apply to XML, too

The URL protocol used in SharePoint provides the ability to generate useful XML output. I recently discovered that the filter and sort commands seem to apply to all of the XML views, too!

 

Examples are listed below (if you want to see the actual XML changes in each case, scroll down to the <rs:data> tag section).

 

Export the XML list, but sort by first name in ascending order:

http:/<site>/_vti_bin/owssvr.dll?XMLDATA=1&List={123}&SortField=LinkTitle&SortDir=Asc

 

Export the XML list, but only show staff members who are in the Multimedia department:

http:/<site>/_vti_bin/owssvr.dll?XMLDATA=1&List={123}&FilterField1=Department&FilterValue1=Multimedia

 

Export the XML list but only show staff who are members of Multimedia AND sort by first name in ascending order:

http:/<site>/_vti_bin/owssvr.dll?XMLDATA=1&List={123}&FilterField1=Department&FilterValue1=Multimedia&SortField=LinkTitle&SortDir=Asc