FOR XML

A

query returns results as a rowset. You can optionally retrieve formal results of a SQL

query as XML by specifying the

clause in the query. The

clause can be used in

top-level queries and in subqueries. The top-level

clause can be used only in the

statement. In subqueries,

can be used in the

,

, and

statements.

can also be used in assignment statements.

In a

clause, you specify one of these modes:

The

mode generates a single

element per row in the rowset that is returned by the

statement. You can generate XML hierarchy by writing nested

queries.

The

mode generates nesting in the resulting XML by using heuristics based on the way

the

statement is specified. You have minimal control over the shape of the XML

generated. The nested

queries can be written to generate XML hierarchy beyond the

XML shape that is generated by

mode heuristics.

The

mode allows more control over the shape of the XML. You can mix attributes and

elements at will in deciding the shape of the XML. It requires a specific format for the resulting

rowset that is generated because of query execution. This rowset format is then mapped into

XML shape. The power of

mode is to mix attributes and elements at will, create

wrappers and nested complex properties, create space-separated values (for example, the

attribute might have a list of order ID values), and mixed contents.

However, writing

mode queries can be cumbersome. You can use some of the new

capabilities, such as writing nested

,

, or

mode queries and the

directive, instead of using

mode to generate the hierarchies. The nested

queries can produce any XML that you can generate by using the

mode. For

more information, see

Use nested FOR XML queries

and

TYPE directive in FOR XML queries.

The

mode together with the nested

query capability provides the flexibility of

the

mode in a simpler manner.

SELECT
FOR XML
FOR XML
FOR XML
SELECT
FOR XML
INSERT
UPDATE
DELETE
FOR XML
FOR XML
RAW
AUTO
EXPLICIT
PATH
RAW
<row>
SELECT
FOR XML
AUTO
SELECT
FOR XML
AUTO
EXPLICIT
EXPLICIT
OrderID
EXPLICIT
FOR XML
FOR XML RAW
AUTO
PATH
TYPE
EXPLICIT
FOR
XML
EXPLICIT
PATH
FOR XML
EXPLICIT