---
title: "Use RAW Mode with FOR XML | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "06/13/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: xml
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "FOR XML RAW mode"
  - "XMLSCHEMA option"
  - "FOR XML clause, RAW mode"
  - "RAW FOR XML mode"
  - "ELEMENTS directive"
  - "RAW mode"
  - "XMLDATA option"
ms.assetid: 02c1bc0b-760c-4589-9ab1-6927c6d9c734
author: MightyPen
ms.author: genemi
manager: craigg
---
# Use RAW Mode with FOR XML
  RAW mode transforms each row in the query result set into an XML element that has the generic identifier \<row>, or the optionally provided element name. By default, each column value in the rowset that is not NULL is mapped to an attribute of the \<row> element. If the ELEMENTS directive is added to the FOR XML clause, each column value is mapped to a subelement of the \<row> element. Together with the ELEMENTS directive, you can optionally specify the XSINIL option to map NULL column values in the result set to an element that has the attribute, xsi:nil=`"`true`"`.  
  
 You can request a schema for the resulting XML. Specifying the XMLDATA option returns an in-line XDR schema. Specifying the XMLSCHEMA option returns an in-line XSD schema. The schema appears at the start of the data. In the result, the schema namespace reference is repeated for every top-level element.  
  
 The BINARY BASE64 option must be specified in the FOR XML clause to return the binary data in base64-encoded format. In RAW mode, retrieving binary data without specifying the BINARY BASE64 option will result in an error.  
  
## In This Section  
 This section contains the following examples:  
  
-   [Example: Retrieving Product Model Information as XML](example-retrieving-product-model-information-as-xml.md)  
  
-   [Example: Specifying XSINIL with the ELEMENTS Directive](example-specifying-xsinil-with-the-elements-directive.md)  
  
-   [Example: Requesting Schemas as Results with the XMLDATA and XMLSCHEMA Options](example-requesting-schemas-as-results-with-the-xmldata-and-xmlschema-options.md)  
  
-   [Example: Retrieving Binary Data](example-retrieving-binary-data.md)  
  
-   [Example: Renaming the &#60;row&#62; Element](example-renaming-the-row-element.md)  
  
-   [Example: Specifying a Root Element for the XML Generated by FOR XML](example-specifying-a-root-element-for-the-xml-generated-by-for-xml.md)  
  
-   [Example: Querying XMLType Columns](example-querying-xmltype-columns.md)  
  
## See Also  
 [Add Namespaces to Queries with WITH XMLNAMESPACES](add-namespaces-to-queries-with-with-xmlnamespaces.md)   
 [Use AUTO Mode with FOR XML](use-auto-mode-with-for-xml.md)   
 [Use EXPLICIT Mode with FOR XML](use-explicit-mode-with-for-xml.md)   
 [Use PATH Mode with FOR XML](use-path-mode-with-for-xml.md)   
 [SELECT &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](/sql/t-sql/queries/select-transact-sql)   
 [FOR XML &#40;SQL Server&#41;](../xml/for-xml-sql-server.md)