# Search for a string in a list object

Search for a string in a list object by using the [SearchListObjectFor method](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense-developer/November2025/Subsystems/EngineJSONAPI/Content/service-genericobject-searchlistobjectfor.htm).

## Example

[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense-developer/Subsystems/EngineAPI/Content/Sense_EngineAPI/DiscoveringAndAnalysing/SearchInData/search-string-in-list-object.htm)

#### The goal is to create a transient list object and search for all values that start with the letter P.

1. Create a list object.

The client sends:

```
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "CreateSessionObject",
  "handle": 1,
  "params": [
    {
      "qInfo": {
        "qId": "ListObject01",
        "qType": "ListObject"
      },
      "qListObjectDef": {
        "qStateName": "$",
        "qLibraryId": "",
        "qDef": {
          "qFieldDefs": [
            "Country"
          ],
          "qFieldLabels": [
            "Country Label"
          ],
          "qSortCriterias": [
            {
              "qSortByLoadOrder": 1
            }
          ]
        },
        "qInitialDataFetch": [
          {
            "qTop": 0,
            "qHeight": 14,
            "qLeft": 0,
            "qWidth": 1
          }
        ],
        "qShowAlternatives": true
      }
    }
  ]
}
```

The engine returns:

```
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "result": {
    "qReturn": {
      "qType": "GenericObject",
      "qHandle": 2
    }
  },
  "change": [
    2
  ]
}
```

The list object is created and its handle is 2. It contains a list of countries.

2. Search for all values that start with P.

The client sends:

```
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 3,
  "method": "SearchListObjectFor",
  "handle": 2,
  "params": [
    "/qListObjectDef",
    "P"
      ]
}
```

The engine returns:

```
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 3,
  "result": {
    "qSuccess": true
  },
  "change": [
    2
  ]
}
```

The search is successful.

3. Get the search results using the method GetLayout.

The client sends:

```
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 4,
  "method": "GetLayout",
  "handle": 2,
  "params": []
}
```

The engine returns:

{ "jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 4, "result": { "qLayout": { "qInfo": { "qId": "ListObject01", "qType": "ListObject" }, "qMeta": {}, "qSelectionInfo": {}, "qListObject": { "qStateName": "$", "qSize": { "qcx": 1, "qcy": 1 }, "qDimensionInfo": { "qFallbackTitle": "Country Label", "qApprMaxGlyphCount": 14, "qCardinal": 1, "qSortIndicator": "A", "qGroupFallbackTitles": [ "Country Label" ], "qGroupPos": 0, "qStateCounts": { "qLocked": 0, "qSelected": 0, "qOption": 22, "qDeselected": 0, "qAlternative": 0, "qExcluded": 0 }, "qTags": [ "$ascii", "$text" ], "qDimensionType": "D", "qGrouping": "N" }, "qExpressions": [], "qDataPages": [ { "qMatrix": [ [ { "qText": "Portugal", "qNum": "NaN", "qElemNumber": 12, "qState": "O", "qHighlightRanges": { "qRanges": [ { "qCharPos": 0, "qCharCount": 1 } ] } } ] ], "qTails": [], "qArea": { "qLeft": 0, "qTop": 0, "qWidth": 1, "qHeight": 1 } } ] } } } }

The search has returned one value that starts with the letter P. It is the country Portugal.

## Learn more

* [ListObject](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense-developer/November2025/Subsystems/EngineJSONAPI/Content/models-listobject.htm)