Question

In a sql query i run these commands and i keep getting NUll no matter what i try.

DECLARE @x AS XML

SET @x = ' <Data> <Preference>Mail</Preference>   <Comment>Changed Contact Communication Preference due to customer unsubscribed</Comment>  </Data> '


SELECT @x.value('(//Data/@Preference)[0]','varchar(20)') AS Preference

what am i doing wrong?

Answer 1

Use this XPath instead:

SELECT @x.value('(//Data/Preference)[1]','varchar(20)') AS Preference

All XPath arrays are 1-based – not 0-based – therefore your [0] won’t return anything.

And secondly, <Preference> is an XML element – not an attribute. The @Preference you have is trying to select a XML attribute