Stairway to XML

XML has been part of the SQL Standard since 2003, and it is also essential for any DBA because so many of the dynamic management views return XML data. Now that the industry is more used to data defined by document markup, it is becoming more important than ever for Database Developers and DBAs to understand the technology and to know where it makes sense to use XML. In this series of articles, Robert Sheldon flexes his talent to make the complicated seem simple.

• Stairway to XML: Level 1 - Introduction to XML

  In this level, Rob Sheldon explains what XML is, and describes the components of an XML document, Elements and Attributes. He explains the basics of tags, entity references, enclosed text, comments and declarations

• Stairway to XML: Level 2 - The XML Data Type

  Robert Sheldon describes SQL Server's XML Data Type, and shows that it is as easy to configure a variable, column, or parameter with the XML data type as configuring one of these objects with any other datatype

• Stairway to XML: Level 3 - Working with Typed XML

  You can enforce the validation of an XML data type, variable or column by associating it with an XML Schema Collection. SQL Server validates a typed XML value against the rules defined in the schema collection so that INSERT or UPDATE operations will succeed only if the value being inserted or updated is valid as per the rules defined in the Schema Collection.

• Stairway to XML: Level 4 - Querying XML Data

  You can extract a subset of data from an XML instance by using the query() method, and you can use the value() method to retrieve individual element and attribute values from an XML instance.

• Stairway to XML: Level 5 - The XML exist() and nodes() Methods

  The XML exist() method is used, often in a WHERE clause, to check the existence of an element within an XML document or fragment. The nodes() method lets you shred an XML instance and return the information as relational data.

• Stairway to XML: Level 6 - Inserting Data into an XML Instance

  The modify method lets you manipulate XML data using XML DML. It can insert, alter or delete data. In this level, Robert shows how to use the method to insert a node into an XML instance.

• Stairway to XML: Level 7 - Updating Data in an XML Instance

  You need to provide the necessary keywords and define the XQuery and value expressions in your XML DML expression in order to use the modify() method to update element and attribute values in either typed or untyped XML instances in an XML column. Robert Sheldon explains how.

• Stairway to XML: Level 8 - Deleting Data from an XML Instance

  in order to use the modify() method to delete data from typed and untyped XML instances, you must pass an XML DML expression as an argument to the method. That expression must include the delete keyword, along with an XQuery expression that defines the XML component to be deleted. Robert makes it seem simple, as usual.

• Stairway to XML: Level 9 - Creating XML-Based Functions

  In this Level, we’ll look at how to use XML methods within user-defined functions to return XML fragments and values from your target XML instance.