FOR XML PATH error in column '' - '//' and leading and trailing '/' are not allowed in simple path expressions sql server

I am creating a tblOrder table in sql server and inserting few records into it:

CREATE TABLE tblOrder(

    OrderID INT IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY,

    Location VARCHAR(50),

    OrderDate DATETIME DEFAULT(GETDATE())

)

INSERT INTO tblOrder(Location) VALUES('China'),('USA'),('India'),('UK'),('India')

If we will execute following sql queries :

1.

SELECT

    OrderID "@Id",

    Location "/Country/Location",

    OrderDate

FROM tblOrder FOR XML PATH

2.

SELECT

    OrderID "@Id",

    Location "//Country/Location",

    OrderDate

FROM tblOrder FOR XML PATH

3.

SELECT

    OrderID "@Id",

    Location "Country/Location/",

    OrderDate

FROM tblOrder FOR XML PATH

We will get error message:

FOR XML PATH error in column '' - '//' and leading and trailing '/' are not allowed in simple path expressions.

Cause:  It is due in incorrect XML path in column Location.

Solution: Correct XML path can be:

SELECT

    OrderID "@Id",

    Location "Country/Location",

    OrderDate

FROM tblOrder FOR XML PATH

Output:

<row Id="AA==">

  <Country>

    <Location>China</Location>

  </Country>

  <OrderDate>2012-04-18T00:09:56.953</OrderDate>

</row>

<row Id="AQ==">

  <Country>

    <Location>USA</Location>

  </Country>

  <OrderDate>2012-04-18T00:09:56.953</OrderDate>

</row>

<row Id="Cg==">

  <Country>

    <Location>India</Location>

  </Country>

  <OrderDate>2012-04-18T00:09:56.953</OrderDate>

</row>

<row Id="Cw==">

  <Country>

    <Location>UK</Location>

  </Country>

  <OrderDate>2012-04-18T00:09:56.953</OrderDate>

</row>

<row Id="ZA==">

  <Country>

    <Location>India</Location>

  </Country>

  <OrderDate>2012-04-18T00:09:56.953</OrderDate>

</row>