XML and Mnesia HOW-TO How to find an article from a specific author ? Look in the vlastname table for the name in the value column. Get the doc_id Check in the vfirstname that the firstname value is corresponding to the one we are looking for Retrieve the complete document according to the document_id: As an Erlang data structure: xmnesia:to_document/1 In XML format: xmnesia:to_xml/2