Sql server function for displaying word frequency in a column

Question

I have a table that lists a freet text input from a survey where enterents were allowed to enter their responses (regarding colours they would like to have in their wedding)

Answer 1

You're main problem is that you're missing a split function in SQL Server.

Theres a sample one here that looks pretty good..

http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50648

Using that, you write a stored proc along the lines of...

CREATE TABLE #Temp (Response nvarchar(50), Frequency int) 

DECLARE @response nvarchar(100)
DECLARE db_cursor CURSOR FOR 
SELECT response FROM YourTable

OPEN db_cursor  
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @response 

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0  
BEGIN  
       /* Pseudo Code */ 
       --Split @Response 
       --Iterate through each word in returned list
       --IF(EXISTS in #TEMP)
       --    UPDATE THAT ROW & INCREMENT THE FREQUENCY
       --ELSE
       --    NEW WORD, INSERT TO #Temp WITH A FREQUENCY OF 1

       FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @response 
END   

SELECT * FROM #Temp

Theres probably a less fugly way to do this without cursors, but if it's just something you need to run once, and you're table or Responses isn't phenomenally large, then this should work