SQL Server Update Column Name XML Node - sql-server

Question

I stored my data in XML format in SQL server, in this way
**<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="939760" />**
but somehow one column name (GROSS) in my XML data is stored twice, now I want to remove/rename one of them.
Below are screenshots of my database view:
Table view
XML view
This it what I tried, but it only changed the value, it did not rename the column name.
update Aquara7bc772839.EmpTransaction set TransactionFieldDetails.modify('replace value of (/PayDetails/Column[#Name="LEV_ENCASHRATE"]/#Value)[1] with "796.00"') WHERE Id = 276620;
I have highlighted my column names in above image link please check
I want to remove or rename one column.

Answer 1

You can use the XML.modify() method with a delete node instruction...
declare #EmpTransaction table (
Id int not null,
TransactionFieldDetails xml
);
insert #EmpTransaction values (
276620,
N'<PayDetails>
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="939760" />
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="939760" />
</PayDetails>'
);
update #EmpTransaction
set TransactionFieldDetails.modify('delete /PayDetails/Column[#Name="GROSS"][2]')
where Id = 276620;
select * from #EmpTransaction;
Which gives you...
<PayDetails>
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="939760" />
</PayDetails>
Note that the node index is 1-based, i.e.: Column[#Name="GROSS"][1] would remove the first GROSS node, Column[#Name="GROSS"][2] removes the second GROSS node.
As to how you got two GROSS values in the first place ... whatever created the XML for you probably lists the GROSS column twice.

Answer 2

For your next question: Please do not poste pictures. Best was, to provide a MCVE (a stand-alone sample to reproduce your issue).
You can try something along this:
This is such a stand-alone sample
DECLARE #mockupTable TABLE(ID INT IDENTITY, YourXml XML);
INSERT INTO #mockupTable VALUES
(N'<PayDetails>
<Column Name="blah" DataType="string" Value="Some blah" />
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="1.1" />
<Column Name="Another" DataType="string" Value="One more" />
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="1.2" />
</PayDetails>')
,(N'<PayDetails>
<Column Name="blah" DataType="string" Value="Some blah" />
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="2.0" />
<Column Name="Another" DataType="string" Value="One more" />
<Column Name="GROSS" DataType="float" Value="2.0" />
</PayDetails>');
--This query will first check, if there are different values for GROSS within one XML. This might be a reason to look a bit closer before deleting them.
SELECT t.ID
,t.YourXml
FROM #mockupTable t
WHERE t.YourXml.value('count(distinct-values(/PayDetails/Column[#Name="GROSS"]/#Value))','int')>1;
--And this statement will return each <Column> just once per name (always the first of its kind)
UPDATE #mockupTable SET YourXml=YourXml.query(N'
<PayDetails>
{
for $elmt in distinct-values(/PayDetails/Column/#Name)
return /PayDetails/Column[#Name=$elmt][1]
}
</PayDetails>
');
--Check the output
SELECT * FROM #mockupTable
The idea in short:
With the Xpath /PayDetails/Column[#Name="GROSS"] we are reducing the observed set to columns, where the attribute Name equals GROSS. distinct-values() is a XQuery-function returning each value in a list just once. So we can use count() to check, if there are differing values for GROSS within one XML.
The UPDATE uses XQuery's FLWOR abilities. We use again distinct-values to get all values for Name within <Column>. Then we return just the first (see the [1]) for each name.
UPDATE: Check for doubled elements
With this query you can run through your whole table to search for any non-unique column name per XML:
SELECT t.YourXml.query(N'
for $elmt in distinct-values(/PayDetails/Column/#Name)
return <NameCount Name="{$elmt}" Count="{count(/PayDetails/Column[#Name=$elmt])}"/>
').query('/NameCount[#Count>1]')
FROM #mockupTable t;