How can I complete this Excel function in SQL Server? - sql-server

Question

I have approximately 30,000 records where I need to split the Description field and so far I can only seem to achieve this in Excel. An example Description would be:
1USBCP 2RJ45C6 1DVI 1DP 3MD 3MLP HANDS
Below is my Excel function:
=TRIM(MID(SUBSTITUTE($G309," ",REPT(" ",LEN($G309))),((COLUMNS($G309:G309)-1)*LEN($G309))+1,LEN($G309)))
This is then dragged across ten Excel columns, and splits the description field at each space.
I have seen many questions asked about splitting a string in SQL but they only seem to cover one space, not multiple spaces.

Answer 1

There is no easy function in SQL server to split strings. At least I don't know it. I use usually some trick that I found somewhere in the Internet some time ago. I modified it to your example.
The trick is that first we try to figure out how many columns do we need. We can do it by checking how many empty strings we have in the string. The easiest way is lenght of string - lenght of string without empty string.
After that for each string we try to find start and end of each word by position. At the end we cut simply string by start and end position and assign to coulmns. The details are in the query. Have fun!
CREATE TABLE test(id int, data varchar(100))
INSERT INTO test VALUES (1,'1USBCP 2RJ45C6 1DVI 1DP 3MD 3MLP HANDS')
INSERT INTO test VALUES (2,'Shorter one')
DECLARE #pivot varchar(8000)
DECLARE #select varchar(8000)
SELECT
#pivot=coalesce(#pivot+',','')+'[col'+cast(number+1 as varchar(10))+']'
FROM
master..spt_values where type='p' and
number<=(SELECT max(len(data)-len(replace(data,',',''))) FROM test)
SELECT
#select='
select p.*
from (
select
id,substring(data, start+2, endPos-Start-2) as token,
''col''+cast(row_number() over(partition by id order by start) as varchar(10)) as n
from (
select
id, data, n as start, charindex('','',data,n+2) endPos
from (select number as n from master..spt_values where type=''p'') num
cross join
(
select
id, '' '' + data +'' '' as data
from
test
) m
where n < len(data)-1
and substring(odata,n+1,1) = '','') as data
) pvt
Pivot ( max(token)for n in ('+#pivot+'))p'
EXEC(#select)
Here you can find example in SQL Fiddle
I didn't notice that you want to get rid of multiple blank spaces.
To do it please create some function that preprare your data :
CREATE FUNCTION dbo.[fnRemoveExtraSpaces] (#Number AS varchar(1000))
Returns Varchar(1000)
As
Begin
Declare #n int -- Length of counter
Declare #old char(1)
Set #n = 1
--Begin Loop of field value
While #n <=Len (#Number)
BEGIN
If Substring(#Number, #n, 1) = ' ' AND #old = ' '
BEGIN
Select #Number = Stuff( #Number , #n , 1 , '' )
END
Else
BEGIN
SET #old = Substring(#Number, #n, 1)
Set #n = #n + 1
END
END
Return #number
END
After that use the new version that removes extra spaces.
DECLARE #pivot varchar(8000)
DECLARE #select varchar(8000)
SELECT
#pivot=coalesce(#pivot+',','')+'[col'+cast(number+1 as varchar(10))+']'
FROM
master..spt_values where type='p' and
number<=(SELECT max(len(dbo.fnRemoveExtraSpaces(data))-len(replace(dbo.fnRemoveExtraSpaces(data),' ',''))) FROM test)
SELECT
#select='
select p.*
from (
select
id,substring(data, start+2, endPos-Start-2) as token,
''col''+cast(row_number() over(partition by id order by start) as varchar(10)) as n
from (
select
id, data, n as start, charindex('' '',data,n+2) endPos
from (select number as n from master..spt_values where type=''p'') num
cross join
(
select
id, '' '' + dbo.fnRemoveExtraSpaces(data) +'' '' as data
from
test
) m
where n < len(data)-1
and substring(data,n+1,1) = '' '') as data
) pvt
Pivot ( max(token)for n in ('+#pivot+'))p'
EXEC(#select)

Answer 2

I am probably not understanding your question, but all that you are doing in that formula, can be done almost exactly the same in SQL. I see someone has already answered but to my mind, how can it be necessary to do all that when you can do this. I might be wrong. But here goes.
declare #test as varchar(100)
set #test='abcd1234567'
select right(#test,2)
, left(#test,2)
, len(#test)
, case when len(#test)%2>0
then left(right(#test,round(len(#test)/2,0)+1),1)
else left(right(#test,round(len(#test)/2,0)+1),2) end
Results
67 ab 11 2
So right, left, length and mid can all be achieved.
If the spaces are the "substring" dividers, then: I dont remember well the actual syntax for do-while inside selects of sql, neither have i actually done that per se, but I don't see why it should not be possible. If it doesn't work then you need a temporary table and if that does not work you need a cursor. The cursor would be an external loop around this one to fetch and process a single string at a time. Or you can do something more clever. I am just a novice.
declare #x varchar(1)
declare #n integer
declare #i integer
declare #str varchar(100) -- this is your description. Fetch it and assign it. if in a cursor just use column-name
set #x = null
set #n = 0
set #i = 0
while n < len(#str)
while NOT #x = " "
begin
set #x = left(right(#str,n),1)
n = n+1
end
--insert into or update #temptable blablabla here.
Use i and n to locate substring and then left(right()) it out. or you can SELECT it, but that is a messy procedure if the number of substrings are long. Continue with:
set i = n
set #str = right(#str, i) -- this includes the " ". left() it out at will.
end
Now, a final comment, there should perhaps be a third loop checking for if you are at the last "substring" because I see now this code will throw error when it gets to the end. or "add" an empty space at the end to #str, that will also work. But my time is up. This is a suggestion at least.