Implementing and applying a string split in T-SQL - tsql

Question

I have this statement in T-SQL.
SELECT Bay From TABLE where uid in (
select B_Numbers from Info_Step WHERE uid = 'number'
)
I am selecting "multiple" BAYs from TABLE where their uid is equal to a string of numbers like this:
B_Numbers = 1:45:34:98
Therefore, I should be selecting 4 different BAYs from TABLE. I basically need to split the string 1:45:34:98 up into 4 different numbers.
I'm thinking that Split() would work, but it doesn't and I get a syntax error.
Any thoughts from the T-SQL gods would be awesome!

Answer 1

Here is an implementation of a split function that returns the list of numbers as a table:
http://rbgupta.blogspot.com/2007/03/split-function-tsql.html
Looks like this would set you on your way...

Answer 2

Here is a method that uses an auxiliary numbers table to parse the input string. The logic can easily be added to a function that returns a table. That table can then be joined to lookup the correct rows.
Step 1: Create the Numbers table
SET NOCOUNT ON
GO
IF EXISTS
(
SELECT 1
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'Numbers'
AND TABLE_SCHEMA = 'dbo'
AND TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
)
BEGIN
DROP TABLE dbo.Numbers
END
GO
CREATE TABLE dbo.Numbers
(
Number smallint IDENTITY(1, 1) PRIMARY KEY
)
GO
WHILE 1 = 1
BEGIN
INSERT INTO dbo.Numbers DEFAULT VALUES
IF SCOPE_IDENTITY() = 32767
BEGIN
BREAK
END
END
GO
Step 2: Parse the Input String
CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ParseString(#input_string varchar(8000), #delim varchar(8000) = " ")
RETURNS TABLE
AS RETURN
(
SELECT Number
FROM dbo.Numbers
WHERE CHARINDEX
(
#delim + CONVERT(VARCHAR(12),Number) + #delim,
#delim + #input_string + #delim
) > 0
)
GO
**EXAMPLE**
SELECT * FROM dbo.ParseString('1:45:34:98',':')
Step 3: Use the results however you want/need
Number
------
1
34
45
98
End-To-End Example
Create function that returns the appropriate BNumber (of course change it to use the commented out SQL)
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE FUNCTION dbo.GetBNumber (#uid int)
RETURNS VARCHAR(8000)
AS
BEGIN
RETURN '1:45:34:98'
--select B_Numbers from Info_Step WHERE uid = #uid
END
GO
Use the use functions to return the desired results
-- Using Test Data
SELECT N.Number FROM Numbers N
JOIN dbo.ParseString(dbo.GetBNumber(12345),':') Q ON Q.Number = N.Number
-- Using Your Data (Untested but should work.)
SELECT N.Bay
FROM TABLE N
JOIN dbo.ParseString(dbo.GetBNumber(ENTER YOU NUMBER HERE),':') Q ON Q.Number = N.uid
Results
Number
------
1
34
45
98

Answer 3

You should keep your arrays as rows but if I understand your question I think this will work.
SELECT
Bay
From
TABLE
join Info_Step
on B_Numbers like '%'+ uid +'%'
where
Info_Step.uid = 'number'
This query will do a full table scan because of the like operator.

Answer 4

What you can do is loop through the B_Numbers entries and do your own split on : Insert those entries into a temp table and then perform your query.
DECLARE #i int
DECLARE #start int
DECLARE #B_Numbers nvarchar(20)
DECLARE #temp table (
number nvarchar(10)
)
-- SELECT B_Numbers FROM Info_Step WHERE uid = 'number'
SELECT #B_Numbers = '1:45:34:98'
SET #i = 0
SET #start = 0
-- Parse out characters delimited by ":";
-- Would make a nice user defined function.
WHILE #i < len(#B_Numbers)
BEGIN
IF substring(#B_Numbers, #i, 1) = ':'
BEGIN
INSERT INTO #temp
VALUES (substring(#B_Numbers, #start, #i - #start))
SET #start = #i + 1
END
SET #i = #i + 1
END
-- Insert last item
INSERT INTO #temp
VALUES (substring(#B_Numbers, #start, #i - #start + 1))
-- Do query with parsed values
SELECT Bay FROM TABLE WHERE uid in (SELECT * FROM #temp)

Answer 5

You can even try this
declare #str varchar(50)
set #str = '1:45:34:98'
;with numcte as(
select 1 as rn union all select rn+1 from numcte where rn<LEN(#str)),
getchars as(select
ROW_NUMBER() over(order by rn) slno,
rn,chars from numcte
cross apply(select SUBSTRING(#str,rn,1) chars)X where chars = ':')
select top 1
Bay1 = SUBSTRING(#str,0,(select rn from getchars where slno = 1))
,Bay2 = SUBSTRING(#str,
(select rn from getchars where slno = 1) + 1,
(((select rn from getchars where slno = 2)-
(select rn from getchars where slno = 1)
)-1))
,Bay3 = SUBSTRING(#str,
(select rn from getchars where slno = 2) + 1,
(((select rn from getchars where slno = 3)-
(select rn from getchars where slno = 2)
)-1))
,Bay4 = SUBSTRING(#str,
(select rn from getchars where slno = 3)+1,
LEN(#str))
from getchars
Output:
Bay1 Bay2 Bay3 Bay4
1 45 34 98