Finding a word after specific string - sql management studio 2012 - sql-server

Question

I have a text column with fields as per below (small sample, there are many variations):
INSERT INTO #retention1 VALUES ('hello Action=Refer non-action=non-refer')
INSERT INTO #retention1 VALUES ('bye Action=Follow non-action=non-refer')
INSERT INTO #retention1 VALUES ('hello non-action=non-refer Action=compare')
I need to find the word after "Action="
example ANSWER :
Entry 1: Refer
Entry 2: Follow
Entry 3: Compare
If all the words after "Action=" was the same length then I am able to do it. Unfortunately the length is unknown of all variations. The word after action is almost always different not only the 3 variations above.
Any ideas suggestions would be highly appreciated.
This is the code I used for the "Refer" example only which works:
BEGIN
DECLARE #P_string nvarchar (100),
#P_variable nvarchar (100)/*,
#P_return_null nvarchar(100) = 'Y'*/
set #p_string = 'hello Action=Refer non-action=non-refer'
set #p_variable = 'Action'
select substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string)) +len(#p_variable)+1,5) as trying
END;

Answer 1

Try this:
BEGIN
DECLARE #ret nvarchar (100),#P_string nvarchar (100),
#P_variable nvarchar (100)/*,
#P_return_null nvarchar(100) = 'Y'*/
set #p_string = 'hello Action=Refer non-action=non-refer'
set #p_variable = 'Action'
select #ret=substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string)) +len(#p_variable)+1,100)
select substring(#ret,0,charindex(' ',lower(#ret),0))
END;

Answer 2

The code you are looking for should first look for the string Action and then for a space character after that word. After that you have all you need to manipulate your source string.
This should work:
DECLARE
#P_string nvarchar (100),
#P_variable nvarchar (100),
#idx1 int,
#idx2 int
SET #p_string = 'hello Action=Refer non-action=non-refer'
SET #p_variable = 'Action'
SELECT
#idx1 = charindex(lower(#P_variable),lower(#P_string)) + len(#p_variable) + 1,
#idx2 = charindex(lower(' '), #P_string, #idx1)
SELECT #idx1, #idx2
SELECT SUBSTRING(
#p_string,
#idx1,
#idx2 - #idx1) as trying
EDIT
After more thoroughly reviewing the requirements, I decided to tailor a rCTE structure that I use for similar purposes. Here it goes.
CREATE TABLE #retention1 (
ID int,
txt nvarchar (100)
)
INSERT INTO #retention1 VALUES (1, 'hello Action=Refer non-action=non-refer')
INSERT INTO #retention1 VALUES (2, 'bye Action=Follow non-action=non-refer')
INSERT INTO #retention1 VALUES (3, 'hello non-action=non-refer Action=compare')
;WITH T AS (
SELECT
ID,
Row = 0,
StartIdx = CAST(0 as int),
EndIdx = CAST(0 as int),
Result = CAST('' as nvarchar(max))
FROM #retention1
UNION ALL
SELECT
r1.ID,
Row + 1,
StartIdx = CAST(newstartidx AS int),
EndIdx = CAST(EndIdx + newendidx as int),
Result = CAST(newtoken as nvarchar(max))
FROM
T
JOIN #retention1 r1
ON r1.ID = T.ID
CROSS APPLY(
SELECT newstartidx = EndIdx + 1
) calc1
CROSS APPLY(
SELECT newtxt = substring(r1.txt, newstartidx, len(r1.txt))
) calc2
CROSS APPLY(
SELECT patidx = charindex(' ', newtxt)
) calc3
CROSS APPLY(
SELECT newendidx = CASE
WHEN patidx = 0 THEN len(newtxt)
ELSE patidx END
) calc4
CROSS APPLY(
SELECT newtoken = substring(r1.txt, newstartidx, newendidx)
) calc5
WHERE newendidx > 0
)
SELECT
ID,
--Result
Name = left(Result, eqIdx - 1),
Value = substring(Result, eqIdx + 1, len(Result) - eqIdx + 1)
FROM
T
OUTER APPLY (
SELECT eqIdx = charindex('=', Result)
) calc6
WHERE
Row != 0
AND eqIdx != 0
ORDER BY ID
Since there are more than one expressions to parse in the table, you would have problems referencing them without an identifier. So, i added ID to your temporary table.
The output from CTE also contains ID which you can use as a reference to #retention1.ID.

Answer 3

String handling galore with a little cheating: Extending #p_string with a space at the begining and the end.
DECLARE #P_string nvarchar (100), #P_variable nvarchar (100)
set #p_variable = ' Action='
set #p_string = ' hello Action=Refer non-action=non-refer '
select substring(substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)),charindex('=',substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)))+1,CHARINDEX(' ', substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)))-LEN(#P_variable))
set #p_string = ' bye Action=Follow non-action=non-refer '
select substring(substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)),charindex('=',substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)))+1,CHARINDEX(' ', substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)))-LEN(#P_variable))
set #p_string = ' hello non-action=non-refer Action=compare '
select substring(substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)),charindex('=',substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)))+1,CHARINDEX(' ', substring(#p_string, charindex(upper(#P_variable),upper(#P_string))+1, len(#p_string)-len(#p_variable)))-LEN(#P_variable))