SQL SERVER XML BCP

Question

I just need to create a file containing XML that is selected from a single database column.

• This works in SSMS select outputfield from xmltab -- Select the returned XML in the grid do Save-As output..xml This produces a nicely formatted file with appropriate line endings. Looking at the file in a browser formats the XML appropriately, etc.

• This Does not Work EXEC xp_cmdshell 'bcp "SELECT [outputfield] FROM [coTemp].[dbo].[xmltab] FOR XML RAW, BINARY BASE64" queryout \\\\prdfiles\\files\\Test\\ProvidersFromBCP_T.xml -c -T'
  

(It creates a document that does not have proper formatting - Line endings appear to be wrong, and the file is not readable in a browser.

I have tried various switches on BCP like choosing different line endings, etc. and various modes on the FOR XML clause of the query- like removing the binary base 64 but with similar results.

Is this because the SSMS grid presentation of the does some auto-formatting? Maybe I HAVE to create a format file?

I was trying to keep it simple since it is a very occasional need to do the extract, but SSMS seems to run out of memory.

Any ideas on how to make it work are greatly appreciated!

Steve

Answer 1

Perhaps you should look into using SQL Server Integration Services to produce your XML output. There are a number of answers around here that mention how to do it if you get stuck.