---
title: "Use FOR XML Results in Application Code | Microsoft Docs"
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ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
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- "FOR XML clause, application code usage"
- "XML [SQL Server], FOR XML clause"
- "ASP.NET [SQL Server]"
- ".NET Framework [SQL Server], FOR XML data"
- "ADO [SQL Server]"
- "XML data islands [SQL Server]"
- "data islands [SQL Server]"
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---
# Use FOR XML Results in Application Code
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
By using FOR XML clauses with SQL queries, you can retrieve and even cast query results as XML data. This functionality allows you to do the following when FOR XML query results can be used in XML application code:
- Query SQL tables for instances of [XML Data (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/xml/xml-data-sql-server.md) values
- Apply the [TYPE Directive in FOR XML Queries](../../relational-databases/xml/type-directive-in-for-xml-queries.md) to return the result of queries that contain text or image typed data as XML
This topic provides examples that demonstrate these approaches.
## Retrieving FOR XML Data with ADO and XML Data Islands
The ADO **Stream** object or other objects that support the COM **IStream** interface, such as the Active Server Pages (ASP) **Request** and **Response** objects, can be used to contain the results when you are working with FOR XML queries.
For example, the following ASP code shows the results of querying an **xml** data type column, Demographics, in the Sales.Store table of the AdventureWorks sample database. Specifically, the query looks for the instance value of this column for the row where the CustomerID is equal to 3.
```
<%@ LANGUAGE = VBScript %>
FOR XML Query Example
<%
Response.Write "Server-side processing
"
Response.Write "Page Generated @ " & Now() & "
"
Dim adoConn
Set adoConn = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
Dim sConn
sConn = "Provider=SQLOLEDB;Data Source=(local);" & _
"Initial Catalog=AdventureWorks;Integrated Security=SSPI;"
Response.write "Connect String = " & sConn & "
"
adoConn.ConnectionString = sConn
adoConn.CursorLocation = adUseClient
adoConn.Open
Response.write "ADO Version = " & adoConn.Version & "
"
Response.write "adoConn.State = " & adoConn.State & "
"
Dim adoCmd
Set adoCmd = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Command")
Set adoCmd.ActiveConnection = adoConn
Dim sQuery
sQuery = "SELECT Demographics from Sales.Store WHERE CustomerID = 3 FOR XML AUTO"
Response.write "Query String = " & sQuery & "
"
Dim adoStreamQuery
Set adoStreamQuery = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
adoStreamQuery.Open
adoStreamQuery.WriteText sQuery, adWriteChar
adoStreamQuery.Position = 0
adoCmd.CommandStream = adoStreamQuery
adoCmd.Dialect = "{5D531CB2-E6Ed-11D2-B252-00C04F681B71}"
Response.write "Pushing XML to client for processing " & "
"
adoCmd.Properties("Output Stream") = Response
Response.write ""
adoCmd.Execute , , 1024
Response.write ""
%>
Client-side processing of XML Document MyDataIsle
```
This example ASP page contains server-side VBScript that uses ADO to execute the FOR XML query and return the XML results in an XML data island, MyDataIsle. This XML data island is then returned in the browser for additional client-side processing. Additional client-side VBScript code is then used to process the contents of the XML data island. This process is performed before displaying the contents as part of the resultant DHTML and opening a message box to show the preprocessed contents of the XML data island.
#### To test this example
1. Verify that IIS is installed and that the AdventureWorks sample database for [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] has been installed.
This example requires that Internet Information Services (IIS) version 5.0, or later versions, are installed with ASP support enabled. Also, the AdventureWorks sample database has to be installed.
2. Copy the code example that was previously provided and paste it into the XML or text editor that you use. Save the file as RetrieveResults.asp in the root directory that is used for IIS. Typically, this is C:Inetpub\wwwroot.
3. Open the ASP page in a browser window by using the following URL. First, replace 'MyServer' with either "localhost" or the actual name of the server where [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] and IIS are installed.
```
https://MyServer/RetrieveResults.asp
```
The generated HTML page results that appear will be similar to the following sample output:
##### Server-side processing
Page Generated \@ 3/11/2006 3:36:02 PM
Connect String = Provider=SQLOLEDB;Data Source=MyServer;Initial Catalog=AdventureWorks;Integrated Security=SSPI;
ADO Version = 2.8
adoConn.State = 1
Query String = SELECT Demographics from Sales.Store WHERE CustomerID = 3 FOR XML AUTO
Pushing XML to client for processing
##### Client-side processing of XML Document MyDataIsle
- **AnnualSales:** 1500000
- **AnnualRevenue:** 150000
- **BankName:** Primary International
- **BusinessType:** OS
- **YearOpened:** 1974
- **Specialty:** Road
- **SquareFeet:** 38000
- **Brands:** 3
- **Internet:** DSL
- **NumberEmployees:** 40
The VBScript message box will then show the following original, unfiltered XML data island contents that were returned by the FOR XML query results.
```
1500000
150000
Primary International
OS
1974
Road
38000
3
DSL
40
```
## Retrieving FOR XML Data with ASP.NET and the .NET Framework
As in the previous example, the following ASP.NET code shows the results of querying an **xml** data type column, Demographics, in the Sales.Store table of the AdventureWorks sample database. As in the previous example, the query looks for the instance value of this column for the row where the CustomerID is equal to 3.
In this example, the following Microsoft .NET Framework managed APIs are used to accomplish the return and rendering of the FOR XML query results:
1. **SqlConnection** is used to open a connection to SQL Server, based on the contents of a specified connection string variable, strConn.
2. **SqlDataAdapter** is then used as the data adapter and it uses the SQL connection and a specified SQL query string to execute the FOR XML query.
3. After the query has executed, the **SqlDataAdapter.Fill** method is then called and passed an instance of a **DataSet,** MyDataSet, in order to fill the data set with the output of the FOR XML query.
4. The **DataSet.GetXml** method is then called to return the query results as a string that can be displayed in the server-generated HTML page.
```
<%@ Page Language="VB" %>
FOR XML Query Example
<%
Dim s as String
s = "Server-side processing
" & _
"Page Generated @ " & Now() & "
"
Dim SQL As String
SQL = "SELECT Demographics from Sales.Store WHERE CustomerID = 3 FOR XML AUTO"
Dim strConn As String
strConn = "Server=(local);Database=AdventureWorks;Integrated Security=SSPI;"
Dim MySqlConn As New System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection(strConn)
Dim MySqlAdapter As New System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter(SQL,MySqlConn)
Dim MyDataSet As New System.Data.DataSet
MySqlConn.Open()
s = s & "SqlConnection opened.
"
MySqlAdapter.Fill(MyDataSet)
s = s & "" & MyDataSet.GetXml & "
"
MySqlConn.Close()
s = s & "SqlConnection closed.
"
Message.InnerHtml=s
%>
```
#### To test this example
1. Verify that IIS is installed and that the AdventureWorks sample database for [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] has been installed.
This example requires that Internet Information Services (IIS) version 5.0, or later versions, are installed with ASP.NET support enabled. Also, the AdventureWorks sample database has to be installed.
2. Copy the code that was previously provided and paste it into the XML or text editor that you use. Save the file as RetrieveResults.aspx in the root directory used for IIS. Typically, this is C:Inetpub\wwwroot.
3. Open the ASP.NET page in a browser window using the following URL. First, replace 'MyServer' with either "localhost" or the actual name of the server where [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] and IIS are installed.
```
https://MyServer/RetrieveResults.aspx
```
The generated HTML page results that appear will be similar to the following sample output:
##### Server-side processing
```
Page Generated @ 3/11/2006 3:36:02 PM
SqlConnection opened.
1500000150000Primary InternationalOS1974Road380003DSL40
SqlConnection closed.
```
> [!NOTE]
> The [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]**xml** data type support lets you request that the result of a FOR XML query be returned as **xml** data type, instead of as string or image typed data, by specifying the [TYPE directive](../../relational-databases/xml/type-directive-in-for-xml-queries.md). When the TYPE directive is used in FOR XML queries, it provides programmatic access to the FOR XML results similar to that shown in [Use XML Data in Applications](../../relational-databases/xml/use-xml-data-in-applications.md).
## See Also
[FOR XML (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/xml/for-xml-sql-server.md)