trying to use XML WITH MYSQL

[mace windu]

THIS DOES NOT WORK IN MYSQL ON MY WINDOWS VISTA MACHINE:
mysql -uroot -e "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE '%version%'" --xml
NEITHER DOES THIS: mysql> "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE '%version%'" --xml
NEITHER DOES THIS: mysql> SHOW VARIABLES LIKE '%version%' --xml;
NEITHER DOES THIS: mysql> --xml SHOW VARIABLES LIKE '%version%';
NEITHER DOES THIS: mysql> --xml -e SHOW VARIABLES LIKE '%version%';
NEITHER DOES THIS: mysql> --xml -e SHOW VARIABLES LIKE '%version%';

any hint?
a clue?
a notion?
a response would be great.