T-SQL преминава през XML колона с данни, за да извлече уникален набор от пътища

Остарелият подход с FROM OPENXML може да е вариант тук. Проверете този отговор .

На тази връзка ще намерите функция, публикувана от време на време от Джон Капелети, която ще унищожи всеки XML (кредити под кода на функцията).

Но не съм сигурен какво всъщност се опитвате да постигнете... Защо ви е необходим пътят? Ако се интересувате от стойностите на всички целеви възли, можете да направите нещо подобно (задълбочено търсене с // не се нуждае от точния XPath )

 SELECT t.value(N'(text())[1]','nvarchar(max)')
 FROM @xml.nodes('//target') AS A(t);

Ако наистина имате нужда от всичко и всичко можете да проверите това:

CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[udf-XML-Hier](@XML xml)

Returns Table 
As Return

with  cte0 as ( 
                  Select Lvl       = 1
                        ,ID        = Cast(1 as int) 
                        ,Pt        = Cast(NULL as int)
                        ,Element   = x.value('local-name(.)','varchar(150)')
                        ,Attribute = cast('' as varchar(150))
                        ,Value     = x.value('text()[1]','varchar(max)')
                        ,XPath     = cast(concat(x.value('local-name(.)','varchar(max)'),'[' ,cast(Row_Number() Over(Order By (Select 1)) as int),']') as varchar(max))
                        ,Seq       = cast(1000000+Row_Number() over(Order By (Select 1)) as varchar(max))
                        ,AttData   = x.query('.') 
                        ,XMLData   = x.query('*') 
                  From   @XML.nodes('/*') a(x) 
                  Union  All
                  Select Lvl       = p.Lvl + 1 
                        ,ID        = Cast( (Lvl + 1) * 1024 + (Row_Number() Over(Order By (Select 1)) * 2) as int ) * 10
                        ,Pt        = p.ID
                        ,Element   = c.value('local-name(.)','varchar(150)')
                        ,Attribute = cast('' as varchar(150))
                        ,Value     = cast( c.value('text()[1]','varchar(max)') as varchar(max) ) 
                        ,XPath     = cast(concat(p.XPath,'/',c.value('local-name(.)','varchar(max)'),'[',cast(Row_Number() Over(PARTITION BY c.value('local-name(.)','varchar(max)') Order By (Select 1)) as int),']') as varchar(max) )
                        ,Seq       = cast(concat(p.Seq,' ',10000000+Cast( (Lvl + 1) * 1024 + (Row_Number() Over(Order By (Select 1)) * 2) as int ) * 10) as varchar(max))
                        ,AttData   = c.query('.') 
                        ,XMLData   = c.query('*') 
                  From   cte0 p 
                  Cross  Apply p.XMLData.nodes('*') b(c) 
              )
    , cte1 as (   
                  Select R1 = Row_Number() over (Order By Seq),A.*
                  From  (
                          Select  Lvl,ID,Pt,Element,Attribute,Value,XPath,Seq From cte0
                          Union All
                          Select Lvl       = p.Lvl+1
                                ,ID        = p.ID + Row_Number() over (Order By (Select NULL)) 
                                ,Pt        = p.ID
                                ,Element   = p.Element
                                ,Attribute = x.value('local-name(.)','varchar(150)')
                                ,Value     = x.value('.','varchar(max)')
                                ,XPath     = p.XPath + '/@' + x.value('local-name(.)','varchar(max)')
                                ,Seq       = cast(concat(p.Seq,' ',10000000+p.ID + Row_Number() over (Order By (Select NULL)) ) as varchar(max))
                          From   cte0 p 
                          Cross  Apply AttData.nodes('/*/@*') a(x) 
                        ) A 
               )

Select A.R1
      ,R2  = IsNull((Select max(R1) From cte1 Where Seq Like A.Seq+'%'),A.R1)
      ,A.Lvl
      ,A.ID
      ,A.Pt
      ,A.Element
      ,A.Attribute
      ,A.XPath
      ,Title = Replicate('|---',Lvl-1)+Element+IIF(Attribute='','','@'+Attribute)
      ,A.Value
 From  cte1 A

/*
Source: http://beyondrelational.com/modules/2/blogs/28/posts/10495/xquery-lab-58-select-from-xml.aspx

Taken from John Cappelletti: https://stackoverflow.com/a/42729851/5089204

Declare @XML xml='<person><firstname preferred="Annie" nickname="BeBe">Annabelle</firstname><lastname>Smith</lastname></person>'
Select * from [dbo].[udf-XML-Hier](@XML) Order by R1
*/
GO 

DECLARE @xml XML=
'<log>
  <clients>
   <client>
    <section name ="Apps"> 
     <questions>
      <groupone>
       <question>
        <target>Age</target>
       </question>
       <question>
        <target> Height</target>
       </question>
       <question>
        <target> Weight</target>
       </question>
      </groupone>
      <grouptwo name = "exercise">
       <wording>what is your name</wording>
        <question>
         <id>1</id>
         <target>def</target>
        </question>
      </grouptwo>
     </questions>
    </section>
   </client>
  </clients>
 </log>';

 SELECT * FROM dbo.[udf-XML-Hier](@xml);
GO