How to return multiple tables as one XML?

Question

I have the following script:

DECLARE @columns TABLE (
    Caption varchar(50),
    Width int);

INSERT INTO @columns 
VALUES ('Id', 0), ('Name', 100);

DECLARE @rows TABLE (
    Id int,
    [Name] varchar(50));

INSERT INTO @rows 
VALUES (1, 'John'), (2, 'Steve');

SELECT *,
    (SELECT *
     FROM @rows
     FOR XML PATH('Row'), ROOT('Rows'), TYPE, ELEMENTS)
FROM @columns
FOR XML PATH('Column'), ROOT('Results'), TYPE, ELEMENTS;

And I need to return the following XML:

<Results>
    <Columns>
        <Column>
            <Caption>Id</Caption>
            <Width>0</Width>
        </Column>
        <Column>
            <Caption>Name</Caption>
            <Width>100</Width>
        </Column>
    </Columns>
    <Rows>
        <Row>
            <Id>1</Id>
            <Name>John</Name>
        </Row>
        <Row>
            <Id>2</Id>
            <Name>Steve</Name>
        </Row>
    </Rows>
</Results>

The idea is that I will convert the XML into a DataSet with 2 DataTables (one for Columns and the other for Rows). I will use this to populate a DataGridView.

However, my problem is that the XML I'm generating currently is malformed and isn't the same as I'm expecting.

What is the correct syntax to generate the XML as expected?

Answer 1

This gets you the result you want, based on the data we have:

SELECT (SELECT Caption,
               Width
        FROM @columns
        FOR XML PATH('Column'),TYPE) AS [Columns],
       (SELECT Id,
               [Name]
        FROM @rows
        FOR XML PATH('Row'),TYPE) AS [Rows]
FOR XML PATH ('Results');

Answer 2

This query generates exactly the result you're expected:

SELECT (SELECT clm.Caption,
               clm.Width
        FROM @columns clm
        FOR XML PATH('Column'), TYPE) AS Columns,
       (SELECT rs.Id,
               rs.[Name]
        FROM @rows rs
        FOR XML PATH('Row'),TYPE) AS [Rows]
FOR XML PATH ('Results');