Split multiple string's into multiple columns - sql-server

Question

I have the following three different strings which needs to split into three different columns.
Example:
String 1:
Declare #str1 varchar(max) = 'A1,A2,A3'
String 2:
Declare #str2 varchar(max) = 'B1,B2,B3'
String 3:
Declare #str2 varchar(max) = 'C1,C2,C3'
NoteI want to store the above three strings into three different columns.
Expected Output:
colA colB colC
------------------
A1 B1 C1
A2 B2 C2
A3 B3 C3
Attempt:
SQL Fiddle: http://sqlfiddle.com/#!3/d41d8/41345

Answer 1

I know its a bit heavy but it will work
Declare #str1 varchar(max) = 'A1,A2,A3'
Declare #str2 varchar(max) = 'B1,B2,B3'
Declare #str3 varchar(max) = 'C1,C2,C3'
DECLARE #RowCount TINYINT
DECLARE #i TINYINT = 0
DECLARE #Table AS TABLE
(
colA varchar(MAX)
,ColB varchar(MAX)
,ColC varchar(MAX)
)
SET #RowCount = len(#str1) - len(replace(#str1, ',', ''))
WHILE(#i<=#RowCount)
BEGIN
INSERT INTO #Table
SELECT LEFT(#str1,CHARINDEX(',',#str1+',',0)-1) AS colA
,LEFT(#str2,CHARINDEX(',',#str2+',',0)-1) AS colB
,LEFT(#str3,CHARINDEX(',',#str3+',',0)-1) AS colC
SET #str1 = STUFF(#str1,1,CHARINDEX(',',#str1,0),'')
SET #str2 = STUFF(#str2,1,CHARINDEX(',',#str2,0),'')
SET #str3 = STUFF(#str3,1,CHARINDEX(',',#str3,0),'')
SET #i = #i + 1
END
SELECT * FROM #Table

Answer 2

If you have atmost three values then try this.
DECLARE #str1 VARCHAR(max) = 'A1,A2,A3'
SELECT Parsename(Replace(#str1, ',', '.'), 3) 'FST_COL',
Parsename(Replace(#str1, ',', '.'), 2) 'SCD_COL',
Parsename(Replace(#str1, ',', '.'), 1) 'TRD_COL' into #temp
Or
DECLARE #str1 VARCHAR(max) = 'A1,A2,A3',
#sql NVARCHAR(max),
#loop INT,
#cnt INT=1
SELECT #loop = Len(#str1) - Len(Replace(#str1, ',', '')) + 1
SET #sql=' WITH Split_cols ( xmlcol)
AS (SELECT CONVERT(XML, ''<cols><col>''
+ Replace('''
+ #str1 + ''', '','', ''</col><col>'') + ''</col></cols>'') as xmlcol)
SELECT '
WHILE #cnt <= #loop
BEGIN
SET #sql+=' xmlcol.value(''/cols[1]/col['
+ CONVERT(VARCHAR(30), #cnt)
+ ']'', ''varchar(100)'') AS col'
+ CONVERT(VARCHAR(30), #cnt) + ','
SET #cnt=#cnt + 1
END
SET #sql=LEFT(#sql, Len(#sql) - 1)
SET #sql +=' FROM Split_cols '
--PRINT #sql
EXEC Sp_executesql #sql

Answer 3

THIS WILL WORK WITH ANY NUMBER OF STRINGS AND VALUES NOT HARDCODED
CREATE FUNCTION dbo.splitstring (#stringToSplit VARCHAR(MAX) )
RETURNS
#returnList TABLE ([ID] INT IDENTITY(1,1),[Name] [nvarchar] (500))
AS
BEGIN
DECLARE #name NVARCHAR(255)
DECLARE #pos INT
WHILE CHARINDEX(',', #stringToSplit) > 0
BEGIN
SELECT #pos = CHARINDEX(',', #stringToSplit)
SELECT #name = SUBSTRING(#stringToSplit, 1, #pos-1)
INSERT INTO #returnList
SELECT #name
SELECT #stringToSplit = SUBSTRING(#stringToSplit, #pos+1, LEN(#stringToSplit)-#pos)
END
INSERT INTO #returnList
SELECT #stringToSplit
RETURN
END
-- USE THIS PARAMETER TO PASS VALUE
DECLARE #STRING VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE #COUNT INT
DECLARE #I INT
DECLARE #COLUMNNAME VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE #CREATETABLE VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE #INSERT VARCHAR(MAX)
IF OBJECT_ID('TEMPDB..##TEMPTABLE') IS NOT NULL
DROP TABLE ##TEMPTABLE
IF OBJECT_ID('TEMPDB..##RETURNLIST') IS NOT NULL
DROP TABLE ##RETURNLIST
SELECT * INTO ##RETURNLIST FROM dbo.splitstring(#STRING)
select #COUNT = COUNT(*) from ##RETURNLIST
SET #I=0
SET #CREATETABLE = 'CREATE TABLE ##TEMPTABLE ('
WHILE (#COUNT>0)
BEGIN
SET #COLUMNNAME = 'COLUMN'+ CONVERT(varchar(10), #I) + ' VARCHAR(MAX)'
SET #CREATETABLE = #CREATETABLE + #COLUMNNAME
IF(#COUNT<>1)
SET #CREATETABLE = #CREATETABLE + ', '
SET #I = #I+1
SET #COUNT = #COUNT -1;
END
SET #CREATETABLE = #CREATETABLE + ' )'
EXECUTE(#CREATETABLE)
SET #INSERT = 'INSERT INTO ##TEMPTABLE VALUES( '
WHILE (#I>0)
BEGIN
SET #INSERT = #INSERT +''''+ (SELECT NAME FROM ##RETURNLIST WHERE ID = #COUNT+1) +''''
IF(#I<>1)
SET #INSERT = #INSERT + ', '
SET #I = #I-1
SET #COUNT = #COUNT +1;
ENDenter code here
SET #INSERT = #INSERT + ' )'
EXECUTE(#INSERT)
EXECUTE('SELECT * FROM ##TEMPTABLE')

Answer 4

You haven't given any criteria for joining the values together for each of the rows of columns so I've just joined them in descending order. This solution can handle any number of items in the lists but if the number gets too high you may need to use the MAX RECURSION query hint.
DECLARE #strA NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'A1,A2,A3';
DECLARE #strB NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'B1,B2,B3,B4';
DECLARE #strC NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'C1,C2,C3';
WITH stringData AS (
--each group of comma separate values with a group identifier
SELECT 'a' AS grp, #strA AS strng
UNION ALL
SELECT 'b' AS grp, #strB
UNION ALL
SELECT 'c' AS grp, #strC
),
splitStrings AS (
--a recursive CTE to split the comma separated values
SELECT grp, CAST('' AS NVARCHAR(MAX)) AS item,
strng AS cText
FROM stringData
UNION ALL
SELECT grp,
CASE
WHEN CHARINDEX(N',',cText,0)>0 THEN LEFT(cText,CHARINDEX(N',',cText,0)-1) --SUBSTRING(cText,0,CHARINDEX(N',',cText,0))
ELSE cText
END,
RIGHT(cText,LEN(cText)-CHARINDEX(N',',cText,0))
FROM splitStrings
WHERE cText!=item
)
SELECT grp,
item,
ROW_NUMBER() OVER(PARTITION BY grp ORDER BY item) AS rnum
INTO #stringValues --put the results in a temp table so we don't need to execute the recursive CTE more than once
FROM splitStrings
WHERE len(item)>0;
DECLARE #maxNum INT = (SELECT MAX(rnum) FROM #stringValues);
--join the values together
WITH allNums AS (
SELECT 1 AS num
UNION ALL
SELECT num+1
FROM allNums
WHERE num<#maxNum
)
SELECT sa.item AS colA,
sb.item AS colB,
sc.item AS colC
FROM allNums
LEFT JOIN #stringValues AS sa ON sa.rnum=allNums.num AND sa.grp='A'
LEFT JOIN #stringValues AS sb ON sb.rnum=allNums.num AND sb.grp='B'
LEFT JOIN #stringValues AS sc ON sc.rnum=allNums.num AND sc.grp='C'
DROP TABLE #stringValues;