SQL Server 2008 - split multi-value column into rows with unique values - tsql

Question

In a SQL Server 2008 database, I have a column with multiple values separated by semi-colons. Some values contain colons. Sample data:
key:value;key2:value;blah;foo;bar;A sample value:whee;others
key:value;blah;bar;others
A sample value:whee
I want to get all the unique values from each row in separate rows:
key:value
key2:value
blah
foo
bar
A sample value:whee
others
I've looked at various split functions, but they all seem to deal with hard-coded strings, not strings coming from a column in a table. How can I do this?
Edit: Thomas' answer got it! Here was my final query:
With SampleInputs As
(
select distinct myColumn from [myDatabase].[dbo].myTable where myColumn != ''
)
, XmlCte As
(
Select Cast( '<z>' + Replace( myColumn, ';', '</z><z>' ) + '</z>' As xml ) As XmlValue
From SampleInputs As I
)
Select Distinct Y.z.value('.','nvarchar(max)') As Value
From XmlCte
Cross Apply XmlValue.nodes('//z') Y(z)
I'm guessing the XmlValue.nodes and Y.z.value stuff is magic. O_o

Answer 1

With a split function you use cross apply:
select distinct SS.part
from YourTable
cross apply dbo.SplitString(YourColumn, ';') as SS
Here the SplitString takes two arguments, the string column and the separator and has a column called part where the values are returned.

Answer 2

With SampleInputs As
(
Select 'key:value;key2:value;blah;foo;bar;A sample value:whee;others' As [Data]
Union All Select 'key:value;blah;bar;others'
Union All Select 'A sample value:whee'
)
, XmlCte As
(
Select Cast( '<z>' + Replace( I.[Data], ';', '</z><z>' ) + '</z>' As xml ) As XmlValue
From SampleInputs As I
)
Select Distinct Y.z.value('.','nvarchar(max)') As Value
From XmlCte
Cross Apply XmlValue.nodes('//z') Y(z)
Update
Here's a version of the above that handles entities:
With SampleInputs As
(
Select 'key:value;key2:value;blah;foo;bar;A sample value:whee;others' As [Data]
Union All Select 'key:value;blah;bar;others'
Union All Select 'A sample value:whee'
Union All Select 'A sample value:<Oops>'
)
, XmlGoo As
(
Select Cast(
Replace(
Replace( Cast( Z.XmlValue As nvarchar(max) ), '{{', '<z>' )
, '}}', '</z>')
As Xml ) As Xmlvalue
From (
Select Cast(
(
Select '{{' + Replace( [Data], ';', '}}{{' ) + '}}'
From SampleInputs
For Xml Path(''), type
) As Xml ) As XmlValue
) As Z
)
Select Distinct Z.data.value('.', 'nvarchar(max)')
From XmlGoo
Cross Apply XmlValue.nodes('/z') Z(data)