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Use nested FOR XML queries in ASP.NET

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Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance

In this example, an ASP.NET application returns XML to a browser by executing a stored procedure in SQL Server. The stored procedure generates XML using nested queries. A similar SELECT statement is shown in the article Generating Siblings by Using a Nested AUTO Mode Query. This example demonstrates one way to use nested FOR XML queries to generate element-centric XML in SQL Server.

Example

CREATE PROC GetSalesOrderInfo AS
SELECT
      (SELECT top 2 SalesOrderID, SalesPersonID, CustomerID,
         (select top 3 SalesOrderID, ProductID, OrderQty, UnitPrice
           from Sales.SalesOrderDetail
            WHERE  SalesOrderDetail.SalesOrderID = SalesOrderHeader.SalesOrderID
            FOR XML AUTO, TYPE)
      FROM  Sales.SalesOrderHeader
        WHERE SalesOrderHeader.SalesOrderID = SalesOrder.SalesOrderID
      for xml auto, type),
        (SELECT *
         FROM  (SELECT SalesPersonID, EmployeeID
              FROM Sales.SalesPerson, HumanResources.Employee
              WHERE SalesPerson.SalesPersonID = Employee.EmployeeID) As SalesPerson
         WHERE  SalesPerson.SalesPersonID = SalesOrder.SalesPersonID
       FOR XML AUTO, TYPE, ELEMENTS)
FROM (SELECT SalesOrderHeader.SalesOrderID, SalesOrderHeader.SalesPersonID
      FROM Sales.SalesOrderHeader, Sales.SalesPerson
      WHERE SalesOrderHeader.SalesPersonID = SalesPerson.SalesPersonID
     ) as SalesOrder
ORDER BY SalesOrder.SalesOrderID
FOR XML AUTO, TYPE
GO

This is the .aspx application. It executes the stored procedure and returns XML in the browser:

<%@LANGUAGE=C# Debug=true %>
<%@import Namespace="System.Xml"%>
<%@import namespace="System.Data.SqlClient" %><%
Response.Expires = -1;
Response.ContentType = "text/xml";
%>

<%
using(System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection c = new System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection("Data Source=server;Database=AdventureWorks;Integrated Security=SSPI;"))
using(System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand cmd = c.CreateCommand())
{
   cmd.CommandText = "GetSalesOrderInfo";
   cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
   cmd.Connection.Open();
   System.Xml.XmlReader r = cmd.ExecuteXmlReader();
   System.Xml.XmlTextWriter w = new System.Xml.XmlTextWriter(Response.Output);
   w.WriteStartElement("Root");
   r.MoveToContent();
   while(! r.EOF)
   {
      w.WriteNode(r, true);
   }
   w.WriteEndElement();
   w.Flush();
}
%>

Test the application

  1. Create the stored procedure in the AdventureWorks2022 database.

  2. Save the .aspx application in the c:\inetpub\wwwroot directory (GetSalesOrderInfo.aspx).

  3. Execute the application (https://server/GetSalesOrderInfo.aspx).

See also