Retrieving XML from a Stored Procedure

One of the great new features with SQL Server 2000 is that it can directly output XML from a stored procedure. Then as a developer, you just need to deal with an xml document and all if the built-in features. The code below makes it easy to get xml from a stored procedure or an SQL statement using “FORM XML AUTO” at the end.

Dim pobjSQLConnection As New SqlClient.SqlConnection(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("dbconnect")) 
Dim pobjSQLCommand As SqlClient.SqlCommand 
Dim pobjXMLReader As System.Xml.XmlReader 
Dim pobjXML As New System.Xml.XmlDataDocument()
  Try 
    pobjSQLConnection.Open() 
    pobjSQLCommand = pobjSQLConnection.CreateCommand 
    pstrSQL = "sp_GETCustomersNamesAsXML"
    pobjSQLCommand.CommandText = pstrSQL.ToString
    pobjXMLReader = pobjSQLCommand.ExecuteXmlReader()
    pobjXMLReader.Read()
    pobjXML.LoadXml(pobjXMLReader.ReadOuterXml)
    pobjSQLConnection.Close()
  Catch 
    'Blow by errors if you want 
  Finally 
    pobjSQLCommand.Dispose() 
    pobjSQLConnection.Dispose() 
  End Try

Tip Submitted By: David McCarter