XML Parsing in TSQL gives invalid column error? - sql-server

Question

I am trying to parse a simple XML file. As soon as I un comment the insert statement it gives me invalid column errors.
drop table #TEMP
drop table #TEMP_T
declare #XMl_DATA AS XML
set #XMl_DATA =
'<DocumentElement>
<Att_Table>
<L_ATTR_CD>GAS_FLOW_START_DATE</L_ATTR_CD>
<L_ATTR_DESC>GAS FLOW START DATE</L_ATTR_DESC>
<L_ATTR_VALUE>01/01/2012</L_ATTR_VALUE>
<R_ATTR_CD>EX_CTRCT_CO_ID</R_ATTR_CD>
<R_ATTR_DESC>EXCLUDE GID(S)</R_ATTR_DESC>
<R_ATTR_VALUE />
</Att_Table>
<Att_Table>
<L_ATTR_CD>GAS_FLOW_END_DATE</L_ATTR_CD>
<L_ATTR_DESC>GAS FLOW END DATE</L_ATTR_DESC>
<L_ATTR_VALUE>01/31/2012</L_ATTR_VALUE>
<R_ATTR_CD>EX_CTRCT_NBR</R_ATTR_CD>
<R_ATTR_DESC>EXCLUDE CONTRACT NUMBER(S)</R_ATTR_DESC>
<R_ATTR_VALUE />
</Att_Table>
<Att_Table>
<L_ATTR_CD>CTRCT_CO_ID</L_ATTR_CD>
<L_ATTR_DESC>GID(S)</L_ATTR_DESC>
<L_ATTR_VALUE />
<R_ATTR_CD>EX_RATE_CMPNT_CD</R_ATTR_CD>
<R_ATTR_DESC>EXCLUDE RATE COMPONENT CODE(S)</R_ATTR_DESC>
<R_ATTR_VALUE />
</Att_Table>
<Att_Table>
<L_ATTR_CD>CTRCT_NBR</L_ATTR_CD>
<L_ATTR_DESC>DART STYLE CONTRACT NUMBER(S)</L_ATTR_DESC>
<L_ATTR_VALUE />
<R_ATTR_CD>EX_PT_ID_NBR</R_ATTR_CD>
<R_ATTR_DESC>EXCLIDE POINT ID NUMBER(S)</R_ATTR_DESC>
<R_ATTR_VALUE />
</Att_Table>
</DocumentElement>'
Temp table:
CREATE TABLE #TEMP_T
(
ID INT IDENTITY(1,1),
ATT_CD VARCHAR(50),
ATT_CD_VALUE VARCHAR(1000)
)
SELECT
cast(Colx.query('data(L_ATTR_CD)') as varchar(max))as L_ATTR_CD,
cast(Colx.query('data(L_ATTR_VALUE)') as varchar(max))as L_ATTR_CD_VALUE,
cast(Colx.query('data(R_ATTR_CD)') as varchar(max)) as R_ATTR_CD,
cast(Colx.query('data(R_ATTR_VALUE)') as varchar(max))as R_ATTR_CD_VALUE
INTO #TEMP
FROM #XMl_DATA.nodes('DocumentElement/Att_Table') AS T(Colx)
--INSERT INTO #TEMP_T(ATT_CD,ATT_CD_VALUE)
--SELECT LTRIM(RTRIM(L_ATT_CD)),LTRIM(RTRIM(L_ATT_CD_VALUE))
--FROM #TEMP
--WHERE L_ATT_CD_VALUE <> 'NO_DATA'
--INSERT INTO #TEMP_T(ATT_CD,ATT_CD_VALUE)
--SELECT LTRIM(RTRIM(R_ATT_CD)),LTRIM(RTRIM(R_ATT_CD_VALUE))
--FROM #TEMP
--WHERE R_ATT_CD_VALUE <>'NO_DATA'
Output:
select * from #TEMP_T
select * from #TEMP

Answer 1

Sometimes you use things like L_ATTR and R_ATTR, and other times you use things like L_ATT and R_ATT (with no Rs). Pick one and stick to it.
The error message mentioning "invalid column" was trying to tell you this: the columns you try to select from #TEMP are "invalid" because you aren't using the same names as when you created #TEMP.

Answer 2

Why don't you just do something like this?
-- define your XML structure and create the #TEMP_T table
;WITH ParsedData AS
(
SELECT
Colx.value('(L_ATTR_CD)[1]', 'varchar(50)') as L_ATTR_CD,
Colx.value('(L_ATTR_VALUE)[1]', 'varchar(50)') as L_ATTR_CD_VALUE,
Colx.value('(R_ATTR_CD)[1]', 'varchar(50)') as R_ATTR_CD,
Colx.value('(R_ATTR_VALUE)[1]', 'varchar(50)') as R_ATTR_CD_VALUE
FROM
#XMl_DATA.nodes('DocumentElement/Att_Table') AS T(Colx)
)
INSERT INTO #temp_T(ATT_CD, ATT_CD_VALUE)
SELECT L_ATTR_CD, L_ATTR_CD_VALUE
FROM parseddata
UNION
SELECT R_ATTR_CD, R_ATTR_CD_VALUE
FROM parseddata
This just parses the XML (much simpler than your approach, too!) and then inserts both the (L_ATTR_CD, L_ATTR_CD_VALUE) as well as the (R_ATTR_CD, R_ATTR_CD_VALUE) pairs into the temp table in a single go.