Summary

• SQL Server 2005 supports native XML data by using the xml data type.

• You can store XML data into a "typed" or "untyped" xml data type.

• "Typed" xml data types require the assignment of a Schema Collection one or more schemas that have been stored in the SQL Server XML Schema Collection repository.

• Using a Schema Collection allows you to provide multiple versions of a schema.

• The query method extracts parts of an XML instance.

• The value method extracts a scalar value from an XML instance.

• The exist method provides an existential check on an XML instance.

• The nodes method yields instances of a special XML data type, each with its context set to a different node than the XQuery expression evaluates to.

• The modify method permits modifying parts of an XML instance.

• You can create a primary XML index on an xml column.

• The secondary PATH index is used for path-based queries.

• The secondary PROPERTY index is used for property bag scenarios.

• The secondary VALUE index is used for value-based queries.

• XQuery provides the FLWOR expression syntax, which is an acronym for for-let-where-order-return and is pronounced flower.

• You can still use the FOR XML clause to produce XML data, and FOR XML PATH lets you control the combination of XML data and non-XML data.

• The ADO.NET SqlXml class lets you work with the SQL Server xml data type.

• The SqlDataReader class contains a GetSqlXml method to retrieve XML data.

• When you assign a schema to the SQL Server XML Schema Collection, the schema is parsed and stored. Non-schema data and annotations are not stored.