Insert XML file into SQL Server - sql

Question

I'm trying to import an XML file into a SQL table. I found a few examples of code to do this, but I can't seem to get it to work. I've tried a few variations in my code but at this point I'm not sure if the issue is the XML file structure or my SQL.
Below is the code I'm using as well as the XML file (truncated to one record).
CREATE TABLE workspace.dbo.tbt_SED_XMLwithOpenXML
(
Id INT IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY,
XMLData XML,
LoadedDateTime DATETIME
)
INSERT INTO workspace.dbo.tbt_SED_XMLwithOpenXML(XMLData, LoadedDateTime)
SELECT CONVERT(XML, BulkColumn) AS BulkColumn, GETDATE()
FROM OPENROWSET(BULK 'File.xml', SINGLE_BLOB) AS x;
DECLARE #XML AS XML, #hDoc AS INT, #SQL NVARCHAR (MAX)
SELECT #XML = XMLData FROM workspace.dbo.tbt_SED_XMLwithOpenXML WHERE ID = '1' -- The row to process
EXEC sp_xml_preparedocument #hDoc OUTPUT, #XML
INSERT INTO workspace.dbo.tb_SED_Emails
SELECT email
FROM OPENXML(#hDoc, 'responseData/manifest/contact_data')
WITH
(
email [varchar](128) 'email'
)
EXEC sp_xml_removedocument #hDoc
GO
XML File Example:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<methodResponse>
<item>
<methodName>
<![CDATA[]]>
</methodName>
<responseData>
<manifest>
<contact_data>
<email>jason.kang#stanfordalumni.org</email>
</contact_data>
</manifest>
</responseData>
<responseNum>
<![CDATA[1]]>
</responseNum>
<responseCode>
<![CDATA[]]>
</responseCode>
</item>
</methodResponse>

Answer 1

Try to use the built-in, native XQuery support instead of the clunky old OPENXML stuff:
SELECT
Email = XC.value('(email)[1]', 'varchar(255)')
FROM
workspace.dbo.tbt_SED_XMLwithOpenXML
CROSS APPLY
XMLData.nodes('/methodResponse/item/responseData/manifest/contact_data') AS XT(XC)
That should output the desired e-mail address for you:

Answer 2

You are using the wrong xPath expression.
Change 'responseData/manifest/contact_data' to 'methodResponse/item/responseData/manifest/contact_data'.