I'm facing some problems with xml explicit in sql server where it doesn't output xml according to the relationship I specified in sql query. The query is done on pubs database and though xml path is easier to use my trainer needs it done on xml explicit.
SELECT 1 AS Tag,
NULL AS Parent,
NULL AS [TitleTypes!1],
NULL AS [TitleType!2!Type],
NULL AS [TitleType!2!AveragePrice],
NULL AS [Title!3!title_id],
NULL AS [Title!3!price]
UNION ALL
SELECT 2,
1,
NULL ,
type AS [TitleType!2!Type],
AVG(price) AS [TitleType!2!AveragePrice],
NULL AS [Title!3!title_id],
NULL AS [Title!3!price]
from titles
GROUP BY type
UNION ALL
SELECT 3,
2,
NULL ,
type AS [TitleType!2!Type],
NULL AS [TitleType!2!AveragePrice],
title_id AS [Title!3!title_id],
price AS [Title!3!price]
from titles
FOR XML EXPLICIT;
The output it produces:
<TitleTypes>
<TitleType Type="business " AveragePrice="13.7300" />
<TitleType Type="mod_cook " AveragePrice="11.4900" />
<TitleType Type="popular_comp" AveragePrice="21.4750" />
<TitleType Type="psychology " AveragePrice="13.5040" />
<TitleType Type="trad_cook " AveragePrice="15.9633" />
<TitleType Type="UNDECIDED ">
<Title title_id="BU1032" price="19.9900" />
<Title title_id="BU1111" price="11.9500" />
<Title title_id="BU2075" price="2.9900" />
<Title title_id="BU7832" price="19.9900" />
<Title title_id="MC2222" price="19.9900" />
<Title title_id="MC3021" price="2.9900" />
<Title title_id="MC3026" />
<Title title_id="PC1035" price="22.9500" />
<Title title_id="PC8888" price="20.0000" />
<Title title_id="PC9999" />
<Title title_id="PS1372" price="21.5900" />
<Title title_id="PS2091" price="10.9500" />
<Title title_id="PS2106" price="7.0000" />
<Title title_id="PS3333" price="19.9900" />
<Title title_id="PS7777" price="7.9900" />
<Title title_id="TC3218" price="20.9500" />
<Title title_id="TC4203" price="11.9500" />
<Title title_id="TC7777" price="14.9900" />
</TitleType>
</TitleTypes>
The output I want:
<TitleTypes>
<TitleType Type="business" AveragePrice="11.22">
<Title title_id="BU1111" Price="11.34"/>
<Title title_id="TC7777" Price="14.2"/>
</TitleType>
<TitleType Type="popular_comp" AveragePrice="13.99">
<Title title_id="BU1111" Price="15.9"/>
<Title title_id="TC7777" Price="16.22"/>
</TitleType>
</TitleTypes>
Usually, you don't need explicit mode at all. You can generate almost every xml you want with for xml path:
select
t1.type as [@Type],
avg(t1.price) as [@AveragePrice],
(
select
t2.title_id as [@title_id],
t2.price as [@price]
from titles as t2
where t2.type = t1.type
for xml path('Title'), type
)
from titles as t1
group by t1.type
for xml path('TitleType'), root('TitleTypes')
But since your xml is attribute-centric, it's even easier for you to use for xml raw:
select
t1.type as [Type],
avg(t1.price) as AveragePrice,
(
select
t2.title_id
t2.price
from titles as t2
where t2.type = t1.type
for xml raw('Title'), type
)
from titles as t1
group by t1.type
for xml raw('TitleType')