generate-elements-for-null-values-with-the-xsinil-parameter.md

title	Generate elements for NULL values with XSINIL | Microsoft Docs
ms.date	05/22/2019
ms.prod	sql
ms.prod_service	database-engine
ms.reviewer
ms.technology	xml
ms.topic	conceptual
helpviewer_keywords	FOR XML clause, null values null values [SQL Server], XML ELEMENTS directive XSINIL parameter
ms.assetid	2dbc4e48-1cae-4d83-b371-3265da9687cc
author	MightyPen
ms.author	genemi
ms.custom	seo-lt-2019

Generate Elements for NULL Values with the XSINIL Parameter

[!INCLUDEappliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md]

The ELEMENTS directive constructs XML in which each column value maps to an element in the XML. By default, if the column value is NULL, no element is added. But by specifying the optional XSINIL parameter on the ELEMENTS directive, you can request that an element also be created for the NULL value. In this case, an element that has the xsi:nil attribute set to TRUE is returned for each NULL column value.

See Also

Use RAW Mode with FOR XML

SELECT - FOR clause