---
title: "How do I select rows into columns?"  
description: "How do I select rows into columns?"  
author: "Anonymous User"  
published: 2013-09-28  
updated: 2013-09-28  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/1571/how-do-i-select-rows-into-columns  
category: "c#"  
tags: ["c#"]  
reading_time: 3 minutes  

---

# How do I select rows into columns?

[Xml](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/203/working-with-xml-data-in-sql-server) is as follows.

\

```
<System>
  <ID></ID>
  <Name></Name>
  <Monitor>
    <ID></ID>
    <Type></Type>
    <Alert>
      <ID></ID>
      <Status></Status>
    </Alert>
    <Alert>
      <ID></ID>
      <Status></Status>
    </Alert>
  </Monitor>
</System>
<System>
  <ID></ID>
  <Name></Name>
  <Monitor>
    <ID></ID>
    <Type></Type>
    <Alert>
      <ID></ID>
      <Status></Status>
    </Alert>
  </Monitor>
</System>
```

\

I want to traverse it like this

\

```
XElement xmlDoc = XElement.Load(@"xml");
var q = from el in xmlDoc.Elements("System") select el;

foreach(el in q) {
    Console.WriteLine(el.ID);
    Console.WriteLine(el.Name);

    if (el.Monitor) {
        foreach (mon in el.Monitor) {
            Console.WriteLine(el.ID);
            Console.WriteLine(el.Type);

            if (mon.Alert) {
                foreach (alert in mon.Alert) {
                    Console.WriteLine(alert.ID);
                    Console.WriteLine(alert.Status);
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
```

\

Currently, I loop through each several times and use if to [check](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/2248/never-forget-to-check-these-specifications-before-buying-a-mobile-phone) [field](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/160867/does-mindstick-provide-training-for-field-marketing) and then assign [value](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/23219/an-optimized-description-adds-value-to-experience-and-in-turn-effectively-guest-posting-packages) to a variable. Then I have to loop through it again. Is there an easier way, and should I use plain [LINQ](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12007/language-integrated-query-linq-queries) or LINQ-TO-XML?

## Replies

### Reply by Anonymous User

Hey Ida!

If you want to traverse it like that you can:

```
var xml = @"
<Root>
<System>
<ID>1</ID>
<Name>One</Name>
<Monitor>
    <ID>2</ID>
    <Type>Two</Type>
    <Alert>
    <ID>3</ID>
    <Status>Three</Status>
    </Alert>
    <Alert>
    <ID>4</ID>
    <Status>Four</Status>
    </Alert>
</Monitor>
</System>
<System>
<ID>5</ID>
<Name>Five</Name>
<Monitor>
    <ID>6</ID>
    <Type>Six</Type>
    <Alert>
    <ID>7</ID>
    <Status>Seven</Status>
    </Alert>
</Monitor>
</System>
</Root>
";
XElement xmlDoc = XElement.Parse(xml);
var q = xmlDoc.Elements("System");
foreach(var el in q) {
    Console.WriteLine(el.Element("ID").Value);
    Console.WriteLine(el.Element("Name").Value);
    foreach(var mon in el.Elements("Monitor")) {
        Console.WriteLine(mon.Element("ID").Value);
        Console.WriteLine(mon.Element("Type").Value);
        foreach(var alert in el.Elements("Alert")) {
            Console.WriteLine(alert.Element("ID").Value);
            Console.WriteLine(alert.Element("Status").Value);
        }
    }
}
```

\


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/1571/how-do-i-select-rows-into-columns

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