SQL SERVER – Simple Example of Reading XML File Using T-SQL

In one of the previous article we have seen how we can create XML file using SELECT statement SQL SERVER – Simple Example of Creating XML File Using T-SQL. Today we will see how we can read the XML file using the SELECT statement. Reading XML file content with T-SQL takes only a few lines.

Following is the XML which we will read using T-SQL:

Following is the T-SQL script which we will be used to read the XML:

DECLARE @MyXML XML
SET @MyXML = '<SampleXML>
<Colors>
<Color1>White</Color1>
<Color2>Blue</Color2>
<Color3>Black</Color3>
<Color4 Special="Light">Green</Color4>
<Color5>Red</Color5>
</Colors>
<Fruits>
<Fruits1>Apple</Fruits1>
<Fruits2>Pineapple</Fruits2>
<Fruits3>Grapes</Fruits3>
<Fruits4>Melon</Fruits4>
</Fruits>
</SampleXML>'

SELECT
a.b.value(‘Colors[1]/Color1[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Color1,
a.b.value(‘Colors[1]/Color2[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Color2,
a.b.value(‘Colors[1]/Color3[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Color3,
a.b.value(‘Colors[1]/Color4[1]/@Special’,‘varchar(10)’)+‘ ‘+
+a.b.value(‘Colors[1]/Color4[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Color4,
a.b.value(‘Colors[1]/Color5[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Color5,
a.b.value(‘Fruits[1]/Fruits1[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Fruits1,
a.b.value(‘Fruits[1]/Fruits2[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Fruits2,
a.b.value(‘Fruits[1]/Fruits3[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Fruits3,
a.b.value(‘Fruits[1]/Fruits4[1]’,‘varchar(10)’) AS Fruits4
FROM @MyXML.nodes(‘SampleXML’) a(b)

Please note in above T-SQL statement XML attributes is read the same as XML Value.

Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.