FOR XML Clause – SQL SELECT statement
SQL SELECT query fetches results as a rowset. By specifying FOR XML clause in SQL Select query , one can retrieve results as XML instead of rowset.
In a FOR XML clause, you specify one of these modes:
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RAW – generates a single <row> element per row in the rowset
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AUTO – generates nesting in the resulting XML by using heuristics based on the way the SELECT statement is specified
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EXPLICIT – allows more control over the shape of the XML
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PATH – together with the nested FOR XML query capability provides the flexibility of the EXPLICIT mode in a simpler manner
Example :
SQL Query with FOR XML clause with AUTO mode
SELECT TOP 1 EmployeeNumber
FROM Employee Emp
FOR XML AUTO
Query returns results in XML
<Emp EmployeeNumber="100"/>