formatting a string param to be the IN statement - sql-server

Question

I have a bit of code:
declare #GroupNames nvarchar(1024)
EXEC Utility.dbo.Get_ADGroups_ForUser 'rwm132' ,#GroupNames output
print #GroupNames
the print statement looks like this :
'vQAHR','vQAResearch','vQAICT','vQAAdvancement','vAllResearch','vAllStudent','vQATeachLearn','vQAFinance','vQAHR'
(0 row(s) affected)
I have a predicate
WHERE
(
RLP.ALL_GROUP_NAME IN ( #GroupNames )
)
this doesn't seem to work how should I format the string with ' so that it
works. If I copy that string and paste it in place of #GroupNames in the predicate it works file just something in the substitution that seems to screw it up.

Answer 1

You need a split string function
In Sql Server 2016 you can use STRING_SPLIT function
WHERE
(
RLP.ALL_GROUP_NAME IN ( select value from STRING_SPLIT(#GroupNames,','))
)
For previous version use any one of the method from below link
Split strings the right way – or the next best way
In case you are appending single quotes for each value inside the string then use this
WHERE
(
RLP.ALL_GROUP_NAME IN ( select stuff(stuff(value,1,1,''),len(value)-1,1,'') from STRING_SPLIT(#GroupNames,','))
)
or you can use Dynamic Sql, Considering there wont be any Sql injection since it is a procedure output
declare #sql varchar(max)=''
set #sql ='
select ..
WHERE
RLP.ALL_GROUP_NAME IN ( '+#str+') '
exec (#sql)

Answer 2

If not 2016, you can use a TVF to split or parse the string
-- Notice the single quotes surrounding each item are not necessary
Declare #GroupNames varchar(max) = 'vQAHR,vQAResearch,vQAICT,vQAAdvancement,vAllResearch,vAllStudent,vQATeachLearn,vQAFinance,vQAHR'
Select A.*
From YourTable A
Where RLP.ALL_GROUP_NAME in (Select RetVal from [dbo].[udf-Str-Parse](#GroupNames,','))
The UDF if needed
CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[udf-Str-Parse] (#String varchar(max),#Delimiter varchar(10))
Returns Table
As
Return (
Select RetSeq = Row_Number() over (Order By (Select null))
,RetVal = LTrim(RTrim(B.i.value('(./text())[1]', 'varchar(max)')))
From (Select x = Cast('<x>'+ Replace(#String,#Delimiter,'</x><x>')+'</x>' as xml).query('.')) as A
Cross Apply x.nodes('x') AS B(i)
);
--Select * from [dbo].[udf-Str-Parse]('Dog,Cat,House,Car',',')
--Select * from [dbo].[udf-Str-Parse]('John Cappelletti was here',' ')
Now, Just for fun, if you don't want a UDF, you can
Select A.*
From YourTable A
Where RLP.ALL_GROUP_NAME In (Select Item=LTrim(RTrim(B.i.value('(./text())[1]', 'varchar(max)')))
From (Select x = Cast('<x>'+ Replace(#GroupNames,',','</x><x>')+'</x>' as xml).query('.')) as A
Cross Apply x.nodes('x') AS B(i)
)