How to split string and insert values into table in SQL Server

Question

I have a string like this:

72594206916,2,1/2/08,Tacoma,WA:72594221856,5,5/7/13,San Francisco,CA:72594221871,99,12/30/12,Dallas,TX

This is b

Answer 1

Function Definition by Romil
Create this Function in your Sql Server

CREATE FUNCTION Split (
      @InputString                  VARCHAR(8000),
      @Delimiter                    VARCHAR(50)
)

RETURNS @Items TABLE (
      Item                          VARCHAR(8000)
)

AS
BEGIN
      IF @Delimiter = ' '
      BEGIN
            SET @Delimiter = ','
            SET @InputString = REPLACE(@InputString, ' ', @Delimiter)
      END

      IF (@Delimiter IS NULL OR @Delimiter = '')
            SET @Delimiter = ','

--INSERT INTO @Items VALUES (@Delimiter) -- Diagnostic
--INSERT INTO @Items VALUES (@InputString) -- Diagnostic

      DECLARE @Item                 VARCHAR(8000)
      DECLARE @ItemList       VARCHAR(8000)
      DECLARE @DelimIndex     INT

      SET @ItemList = @InputString
      SET @DelimIndex = CHARINDEX(@Delimiter, @ItemList, 0)
      WHILE (@DelimIndex != 0)
      BEGIN
            SET @Item = SUBSTRING(@ItemList, 0, @DelimIndex)
            INSERT INTO @Items VALUES (@Item)

            -- Set @ItemList = @ItemList minus one less item
            SET @ItemList = SUBSTRING(@ItemList, @DelimIndex+1, LEN(@ItemList)-@DelimIndex)
            SET @DelimIndex = CHARINDEX(@Delimiter, @ItemList, 0)
      END -- End WHILE

      IF @Item IS NOT NULL -- At least one delimiter was encountered in @InputString
      BEGIN
            SET @Item = @ItemList
            INSERT INTO @Items VALUES (@Item)
      END

      -- No delimiters were encountered in @InputString, so just return @InputString
      ELSE INSERT INTO @Items VALUES (@InputString)

      RETURN

END -- End Function
GO

Pass Your Parameteres
Since it is a Table Function you will SELECT * FROM this_Function like you would do with a table

declare @testString varchar(100)
set @testString = '72594206916,2,1/2/08,Tacoma,WA:72594221856,5,5/7/13,San Francisco,CA:72594221871,99,12/30/12,Dallas,TX'

SELECT * FROM Split(@testString, ',')

Result Set

Item
72594206916
2
1/2/08
Tacoma
WA:72594221856
5
5/7/13
San Francisco
CA:72594221871
99
12/30/12
Dallas

Your Existing Code

select *
from dbo.SplitString(@testString, ':')

The Second Parameter needs to be the deliminator, Since you are Passing : as the second parameter it is breaking you string where ever it finds : in you passed string which is obviously in 2 places and you get back 3 values/Strings in the result set

                          String1/Value1                             String2/Value2                    String3/Value3
set @testString = '72594206916,2,1/2/08,Tacoma,WA  :   72594221856,5,5/7/13,San Francisco,CA  :  72594221871,99,12/30/12,Dallas,TX'