Parsing SQL with bad xml namespace - sql

Question

Hi I have the following SQL to try and parse xml and extract the "OrderNumber". The problem i have is this xml (which i have no control over) has a wierd xml namespace. I changed it to abc.com just for this example, but its something else. Anyway, when that namepace is present, the T-SQL returns a null in the result. So it doesn't play nicely with the namespace. If I remove the namespace manually or doing a search and replace via T-SQL, it works just fine. I guess i can just do a search and replace but that solution just bothers me. Was wondering if anyone else nows a better way around this? And maybe an explanation of why it doesn't like namespaces? Would really appreciate some advice. Thanks!
Declare #Transmission xml
set #Transmission = '<Transmission>
<Requests>
<SubmitOrdersRequest>
<Orders>
<Order xmlns="http://www.abc.com">
<OrderNumber>123</OrderNumber>
</Order>
</Orders>
</SubmitOrdersRequest>
</Requests>
</Transmission>'
select #Transmission.value('(Transmission/Requests/SubmitOrdersRequest/Orders/Order/OrderNumber/text())[1]', 'varchar(100)')

Answer 1

Children nodes inherit the namespace of the parent, unless given a namespace themselves. you have to define namespaces using WITH XMLNAMESPACES, and properly qualify node names using them.
Declare #Transmission xml
set #Transmission = '<Transmission>
<Requests>
<SubmitOrdersRequest>
<Orders>
<Order xmlns="http://www.abc.com">
<OrderNumber>123</OrderNumber>
</Order>
</Orders>
</SubmitOrdersRequest>
</Requests>
</Transmission>';
with xmlnamespaces('http://www.abc.com' as ns1)
select #Transmission.value('(Transmission/Requests/SubmitOrdersRequest/Orders/ns1:Order/ns1:OrderNumber/text())[1]', 'varchar(100)')
Note: The reason for namespaces is that names are contextual things. Order can mean in your case a purchase but in another context it could mean display rack order. The namespace gives the name more uniqueness.