Creating XML from SQL data - sql

Question

I have a huge XML, with over 150 element and attributes. I need to populate only a handful of them ( 5 or 6) elements with data from a SQL server 2008 tables. This created xml need to be passed to a webservice ( to ESB) and this has to happen on a daily schedule.
I think, it does not make sense to use XML Path here to create the XML and use SSIS. Can anyone suggest an approach?
This is the sample XML. I need just the names, address and a few ids populated
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Customer xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="Customer.xsd">
<CustomerData>
<StoreID></StoreID>
<FirstName></FirstName>
<LastName></LastName>
<Gender></Gender>
<BirthMonth></BirthMonth>
<BirthYear></BirthYear>
<BirthDay></BirthDay>
<IsEmployee></IsEmployee>
<customerID></customerID>
<EmailAddress></EmailAddress>
<PhoneNumber></PhoneNumber>
<EmailSignUp></EmailSignUp>
<CatalogSignup></CatalogSignup>
<Addresses>
<BillingAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</BillingAddress>
<CatalogSignupAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</CatalogSignupAddress>
<StoredAddresses>
<StoredAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</StoredAddress>
<StoredAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</StoredAddress>
</StoredAddresses>
</Addresses>
<Hobbies_Enjoys>
<Hobby></Hobby>
<Enjoy></Enjoy>
</Hobbies_Enjoys>
<FavoriteFossilProducts>
<ProductType></ProductType>
<ProductType></ProductType>
</FavoriteFossilProducts>
<AgeRange></AgeRange>
<PreferredEmailFormat></PreferredEmailFormat>
<SavedCreditCards>
<CreditCard>
<AcctNum></AcctNum>
<ExpiryDate></ExpiryDate>
</CreditCard>
<CreditCard>
<AcctNum></AcctNum>
<ExpiryDate></ExpiryDate>
</CreditCard>
</SavedCreditCards>
<PurchasedProductList>
<SKU></SKU>
<SKU></SKU>
</PurchasedProductList>
<OrderHistory>
<Orders>
<Order>
<Number></Number>
<TotalAmount></TotalAmount>
<Promotion></Promotion>
<TimePlaced></TimePlaced>
</Order>
<Order>
<Number></Number>
<TotalAmount></TotalAmount>
<Promotion></Promotion>
<TimePlaced></TimePlaced>
</Order>
</Orders>
</OrderHistory>
<WishLists>
<WishList>
<Name></Name>
<Description></Description>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
<IsDefault></IsDefault>
<Items>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
</Items>
</WishList>
<WishList>
<Name></Name>
<Description></Description>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
<IsDefault></IsDefault>
<Items>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
</Items>
</WishList>
</WishLists>
</CustomerData>
<CustomerData>
</CustomerData>
</Customer>

Answer 1

One approach is to take an empty version of your XML document and assign it to an NVARCHAR(MAX) variable. For each node or parameter you wish to populate, put a "token" and use the replace function to populate the value. For example:
DECLARE #xml NVARCHAR(MAX)
SET #xml = N'<Company name="~company_name~">
<Department name="~dept_name~">
<Employee name="~employee_name~" title="~employee_title~" />
</Department>
</Company>'
SET #xml = REPLACE(#xml,N'~company_name~','Microsoft')
SET #xml = REPLACE(#xml,N'~dept_name~','Executive')
SET #xml = REPLACE(#xml,N'~employee_name~','Satya Nadella')
SET #xml = REPLACE(#xml,N'~employee_title~','CEO')
SELECT CAST(#xml AS XML)
Here's a more traditional approach. You'll need an arbitrary value in the cells you wish to update:
DECLARE #example_data TABLE
(FirstName VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
LastName VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
Gender CHAR(1) NOT NULL,
City VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
[State] CHAR(2) NOT NULL)
INSERT INTO #example_data
( FirstName , LastName , Gender , City , [State])
VALUES ( 'Satya' , -- FirstName - varchar(255)
'Nadella' , -- LastName - varchar(255)
'M' , -- Gender - char(1)
'Redmond' , -- City - varchar(255)
'WA' -- State - char(2)
)
INSERT INTO #example_data
( FirstName , LastName , Gender , City , [State])
VALUES ( 'Larry' , -- FirstName - varchar(255)
'Ellison' , -- LastName - varchar(255)
'M' , -- Gender - char(1)
'Woodside' , -- City - varchar(255)
'CA' -- State - char(2)
)
DECLARE
#customer_xml XML,
#xml XML,
#temp NVARCHAR(255),
#FirstName VARCHAR(255),
#LastName VARCHAR(255),
#Gender CHAR(1),
#City VARCHAR(255),
#State CHAR(2)
SET #customer_xml = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Customer xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="Customer.xsd">
<CustomerData>
<StoreID></StoreID>
<FirstName>a</FirstName>
<LastName>b</LastName>
<Gender>c</Gender>
<BirthMonth></BirthMonth>
<BirthYear></BirthYear>
<BirthDay></BirthDay>
<IsEmployee></IsEmployee>
<customerID></customerID>
<EmailAddress></EmailAddress>
<PhoneNumber></PhoneNumber>
<EmailSignUp></EmailSignUp>
<CatalogSignup></CatalogSignup>
<Addresses>
<BillingAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City>d</City>
<State>e</State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</BillingAddress>
<CatalogSignupAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</CatalogSignupAddress>
<StoredAddresses>
<StoredAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</StoredAddress>
<StoredAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</StoredAddress>
</StoredAddresses>
</Addresses>
<Hobbies_Enjoys>
<Hobby></Hobby>
<Enjoy></Enjoy>
</Hobbies_Enjoys>
<FavoriteFossilProducts>
<ProductType></ProductType>
<ProductType></ProductType>
</FavoriteFossilProducts>
<AgeRange></AgeRange>
<PreferredEmailFormat></PreferredEmailFormat>
<SavedCreditCards>
<CreditCard>
<AcctNum></AcctNum>
<ExpiryDate></ExpiryDate>
</CreditCard>
<CreditCard>
<AcctNum></AcctNum>
<ExpiryDate></ExpiryDate>
</CreditCard>
</SavedCreditCards>
<PurchasedProductList>
<SKU></SKU>
<SKU></SKU>
</PurchasedProductList>
<OrderHistory>
<Orders>
<Order>
<Number></Number>
<TotalAmount></TotalAmount>
<Promotion></Promotion>
<TimePlaced></TimePlaced>
</Order>
<Order>
<Number></Number>
<TotalAmount></TotalAmount>
<Promotion></Promotion>
<TimePlaced></TimePlaced>
</Order>
</Orders>
</OrderHistory>
<WishLists>
<WishList>
<Name></Name>
<Description></Description>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
<IsDefault></IsDefault>
<Items>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
</Items>
</WishList>
<WishList>
<Name></Name>
<Description></Description>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
<IsDefault></IsDefault>
<Items>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
</Items>
</WishList>
</WishLists>
</CustomerData>
</Customer>'
DECLARE xml_cursor CURSOR FOR
SELECT FirstName , LastName , Gender , City , [State]
FROM #example_data
OPEN xml_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM xml_cursor into #FirstName, #LastName, #Gender, #City, #State
WHILE ##fetch_status = 0
BEGIN
SET #xml = #customer_xml
SET #xml.modify('
replace value of (/Customer/CustomerData/FirstName[1]/text())[1]
with sql:variable("#FirstName")
')
SET #xml.modify('
replace value of (/Customer/CustomerData/LastName[1]/text())[1]
with sql:variable("#LastName")
')
SET #xml.modify('
replace value of (/Customer/CustomerData/Gender[1]/text())[1]
with sql:variable("#Gender")
')
SET #xml.modify('
replace value of (/Customer/CustomerData/Addresses/BillingAddress/City[1]/text())[1]
with sql:variable("#City")
')
SET #xml.modify('
replace value of (/Customer/CustomerData/Addresses/BillingAddress/State[1]/text())[1]
with sql:variable("#State")
')
select #xml
FETCH NEXT FROM xml_cursor into #FirstName, #LastName, #Gender, #City, #State
END
This approach does not require a value in the nodes to be updated. It simply inserts a new node, then deletes the old node:
DECLARE #example_data TABLE
(FirstName VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
LastName VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
Gender CHAR(1) NOT NULL,
City VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
[State] CHAR(2) NOT NULL)
INSERT INTO #example_data
( FirstName , LastName , Gender , City , [State])
VALUES ( 'Satya' , -- FirstName - varchar(255)
'Nadella' , -- LastName - varchar(255)
'M' , -- Gender - char(1)
'Redmond' , -- City - varchar(255)
'WA' -- State - char(2)
)
INSERT INTO #example_data
( FirstName , LastName , Gender , City , [State])
VALUES ( 'Larry' , -- FirstName - varchar(255)
'Ellison' , -- LastName - varchar(255)
'M' , -- Gender - char(1)
'Woodside' , -- City - varchar(255)
'CA' -- State - char(2)
)
DECLARE
#customer_xml XML,
#xml XML,
#temp NVARCHAR(255),
#FirstName VARCHAR(255),
#LastName VARCHAR(255),
#Gender CHAR(1),
#City VARCHAR(255),
#State CHAR(2)
SET #customer_xml = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Customer xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="Customer.xsd">
<CustomerData>
<StoreID></StoreID>
<FirstName></FirstName>
<LastName></LastName>
<Gender></Gender>
<BirthMonth></BirthMonth>
<BirthYear></BirthYear>
<BirthDay></BirthDay>
<IsEmployee></IsEmployee>
<customerID></customerID>
<EmailAddress></EmailAddress>
<PhoneNumber></PhoneNumber>
<EmailSignUp></EmailSignUp>
<CatalogSignup></CatalogSignup>
<Addresses>
<BillingAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</BillingAddress>
<CatalogSignupAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</CatalogSignupAddress>
<StoredAddresses>
<StoredAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</StoredAddress>
<StoredAddress>
<Address1></Address1>
<Address2></Address2>
<Address3></Address3>
<City></City>
<State></State>
<ZipCode></ZipCode>
<Fax1></Fax1>
</StoredAddress>
</StoredAddresses>
</Addresses>
<Hobbies_Enjoys>
<Hobby></Hobby>
<Enjoy></Enjoy>
</Hobbies_Enjoys>
<FavoriteFossilProducts>
<ProductType></ProductType>
<ProductType></ProductType>
</FavoriteFossilProducts>
<AgeRange></AgeRange>
<PreferredEmailFormat></PreferredEmailFormat>
<SavedCreditCards>
<CreditCard>
<AcctNum></AcctNum>
<ExpiryDate></ExpiryDate>
</CreditCard>
<CreditCard>
<AcctNum></AcctNum>
<ExpiryDate></ExpiryDate>
</CreditCard>
</SavedCreditCards>
<PurchasedProductList>
<SKU></SKU>
<SKU></SKU>
</PurchasedProductList>
<OrderHistory>
<Orders>
<Order>
<Number></Number>
<TotalAmount></TotalAmount>
<Promotion></Promotion>
<TimePlaced></TimePlaced>
</Order>
<Order>
<Number></Number>
<TotalAmount></TotalAmount>
<Promotion></Promotion>
<TimePlaced></TimePlaced>
</Order>
</Orders>
</OrderHistory>
<WishLists>
<WishList>
<Name></Name>
<Description></Description>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
<IsDefault></IsDefault>
<Items>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
</Items>
</WishList>
<WishList>
<Name></Name>
<Description></Description>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
<IsDefault></IsDefault>
<Items>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
<Item>
<Quantity></Quantity>
<PartNumber></PartNumber>
<DateCreated></DateCreated>
<LastUpdate></LastUpdate>
</Item>
</Items>
</WishList>
</WishLists>
</CustomerData>
</Customer>'
DECLARE xml_cursor CURSOR FOR
SELECT FirstName , LastName , Gender , City , [State]
FROM #example_data
OPEN xml_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM xml_cursor into #FirstName, #LastName, #Gender, #City, #State
WHILE ##fetch_status = 0
BEGIN
SET #xml = #customer_xml
SET #xml.modify('
insert <FirstName>{ xs:string(sql:variable("#FirstName")) }</FirstName>
before (/Customer/CustomerData/FirstName)[1]
')
SET #xml.modify('
delete /Customer/CustomerData/FirstName[2]
')
SET #xml.modify('
insert <LastName>{ xs:string(sql:variable("#LastName")) }</LastName>
before (/Customer/CustomerData/LastName)[1]
')
SET #xml.modify('
delete /Customer/CustomerData/LastName[2]
')
SET #xml.modify('
insert <Gender>{ xs:string(sql:variable("#Gender")) }</Gender>
before (/Customer/CustomerData/Gender)[1]
')
SET #xml.modify('
delete /Customer/CustomerData/Gender[2]
')
SET #xml.modify('
insert <City>{ xs:string(sql:variable("#City")) }</City>
before (/Customer/CustomerData/Addresses/BillingAddress/City)[1]
')
SET #xml.modify('
delete /Customer/CustomerData/Addresses/BillingAddress/City[2]
')
SET #xml.modify('
insert <State>{ xs:string(sql:variable("#State")) }</State>
before (/Customer/CustomerData/Addresses/BillingAddress/State)[1]
')
SET #xml.modify('
delete /Customer/CustomerData/Addresses/BillingAddress/State[2]
')
select #xml
FETCH NEXT FROM xml_cursor into #FirstName, #LastName, #Gender, #City, #State
END

Answer 2

you can also use FLWOR which will allow you to generate the xml in one go by using a template and adding data only to the elements you want.
You won't need to create tables or stored procedures. For example:
declare #x xml
set #x=(select FirstName, LastName from kc_consumer for xml path('CustomerData'))
SELECT #x.query('
for $a in /CustomerData
return
<CustomerData>
<StoreID></StoreID>
<FirstName>{data($a/FirstName)}</FirstName>
<LastName>{data($a/LastName)}</LastName>
<Gender></Gender>
<BirthMonth></BirthMonth>
<BirthYear></BirthYear>
<BirthDay></BirthDay>
<IsEmployee></IsEmployee>
<customerID></customerID>
</CustomerData>
')
I'm just including a few nodes for readability, you just need to paste the rest of them.