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Asked: 2026-06-13T00:14:48+00:00

I found this tsql query that shows the xml schema of a table and

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I found this tsql query that shows the xml schema of a table and it works very well.

SELECT * FROM TableA
FOR XML AUTO, XMLSCHEMA

I am now attempting to show the relationship between tables via this query. I am not sure if this is possible. I have mocked up several test tables and I have not had any luck. Basically, I am creating a one to many relationship between tableA and tableB, then in the xml schema it would show tableA as a parent and tableB would be a child within the schema.

This is what I have been running. :

SELECT * FROM TableA,
dbo.TableB 
FOR XML AUTO, XMLSCHEMA

Here is an example xml schema file that I am getting from the above query. 

<xsd:schema targetNamespace="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:sql:SqlRowSet7" xmlns:schema="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:sql:SqlRowSet7" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:sqltypes="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2004/sqltypes" elementFormDefault="qualified">
  <xsd:import namespace="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2004/sqltypes" schemaLocation="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2004/sqltypes/sqltypes.xsd" />
  <xsd:element name="TableA">
    <xsd:complexType>
      <xsd:sequence>
        <xsd:element name="columnA" type="sqltypes:int" />
        <xsd:element name="columnB">
          <xsd:simpleType>
            <xsd:restriction base="sqltypes:varchar" sqltypes:localeId="1033" sqltypes:sqlCompareOptions="BinarySort">
              <xsd:maxLength value="50" />
            </xsd:restriction>
          </xsd:simpleType>
        </xsd:element>
        <xsd:element ref="schema:dbo.tylersTestTable2" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
      </xsd:sequence>
    </xsd:complexType>
  </xsd:element>
  <xsd:element name="TableB">
    <xsd:complexType>
      <xsd:sequence>
        <xsd:element name="columnA" type="sqltypes:int" />
        <xsd:element name="columnB">
          <xsd:simpleType>
            <xsd:restriction base="sqltypes:varchar" sqltypes:localeId="1033" sqltypes:sqlCompareOptions="BinarySort">
              <xsd:maxLength value="50" />
            </xsd:restriction>
          </xsd:simpleType>
        </xsd:element>
        <xsd:element name="fkToTableA" type="sqltypes:int" />
      </xsd:sequence>
    </xsd:complexType>
  </xsd:element>
</xsd:schema>

As you can see it is displaying the tables as equal levels within the schema and not really displaying a parent child relationship.
I am kind of at a loss here as I am no dba, but I have to do this for a ton of tables and I don’t want to have to write them all by hand.

Any ideas on this one?

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    Tables in TSQL do not have true parent-child relationships. Each table is at the same level and foreign key relationships may cause constraints on data in one or both tables. Logically, one table may be a parent and one a child, but in no way does that mean they are a physical hierarchy. You may be able to generate XML like you’re asking for with a modeling tool like ERwin that interprets the physical model into a logical one but TSQL really only sees the physical model.

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