Cast xml to varchar with no entities

Question

This code

    DECLARE @x xml
SET @x = ( SELECT 'A & B > C' FOR XML PATH('') )
PRINT CAST(@x AS nvarchar(1000))

Return:

A & B > C

How obtain my original string 'A & B > C'? (with no XML entities)

Answer 1

DECLARE @x xml
SET @x = ( SELECT 'A & B > C' FOR XML PATH('') )

SELECT @x.value('.', 'nvarchar(1000)')

If you absolutely need to use print you have to store the result from value in variable before printing.

DECLARE @x xml
SET @x = ( SELECT 'A & B > C' FOR XML PATH('') )

DECLARE @y nvarchar(1000)
SET @y = @x.value('.', 'nvarchar(1000)')

PRINT @y

Result:

A & B > C