Comma Delimited SQL string Need to separated

Question

I have this string that i am getting from .net application A,B,C,D,E,F,

I wanted to write a sql select statement like

set @string = \'A,B,C,D,E,F\'

         


        

Answer 1

3 options

1. Use a regular expression to replace the "," with "','" so that it becomes a proper ('A','B'...) list
2. Convert the list to XML and then parse the XML in your SELECT
3. Write a SPLIT function to convert comma delimited lists to tables

Answer 2

You could keep it really simple with built-in sql functions:

set @string = 'A,B,C,D,E,F'

select * from tbl_test 
where CHARINDEX(ISNULL(tbl_test.code, 'X'), @string) > 0

PATINDEX can be used in case you need more than one character.

Answer 3

Nothing simple. You can write a function that will take in that list and split it apart into a table you can query against in the IN() statement.

Answer 4

Here is a function that returns a delimited String as a set of rows

set @string = 'A,B,C,D,E,F'      

select * from tbl_test       
where tbl_test.code in (select r from ftDelimitedAsTable(',',@string )    


  --/*----------------------------------------------------------------
    Create     FUNCTION [dbo].[ftDelimitedAsTable](@dlm char, @string varchar(8000))
    RETURNS 
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
    /*------------------------------------------------------------------------
    declare @dlm  char, @string varchar(1000)
    set @dlm=','; set @string='t1,t2,t3';
    -- tHIS FUNCION RETUNRS IN THE ASCENDING ORDER
    -- 19TH Apr 06
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
    --declare
        @table_var TABLE 
        (id int identity(1,1),
            r varchar(1000) 
         )
    AS
    BEGIN
    -- a.p --
    --Modified  18th Nov. 04

        declare @n int,@i int
        set @n=dbo.fnCountChars(@dlm,@string)+1
        SET @I =1
        while @I <= @N
            begin

                --print '@i='+convert(varchar,@i)+ ' AND INSERTING'
                insert @table_var
                    select dbo.fsDelimitedString(@dlm,@string,@i)
                set @I= @I+1

            end
    --PRINT '*************** ALL DONE'
        if @n =1 insert @TABLE_VAR VALUES(@STRING)
    --select * from @table_var
        delete  from @table_var where r=''
        return
    END


USE [QuickPickDBStaging]
GO
/****** Object:  UserDefinedFunction [dbo].[fsDelimitedString]    Script Date: 02/22/2010 12:31:37 ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO

Create function [dbo].[fsDelimitedString](
            @DelimiterStr varchar(100)
            ,@str varchar(4000)
            ,@pos int=1)
 returns varchar(4000)
as
/*
AP -- Dec 2003
Declare @DelimiterStr varchar(4000),@str varchar(4000) ,@pos int
set @delimiterStr = '-'
set @pos=10
set @str ='wd-1-22-333-4444-55555-666666-q-9'
*/
Begin
declare @rx varchar(4000)
set @rx=''; set @pos=@pos-1
IF DBO.fnCountChars(@DelimiterStr,@str) > 0 
    Begin
        if dbo.fnCountChars(@delimiterStr,@str) < @pos
        begin
            set @rx= null
            goto nulls
        end
        declare @i1 int,@tPos int,@ix int

        set @ix=1
        set @tPos=0
        while @tpos <> @pos
        Begin
            set @ix=charindex(@DelimiterStr,@str,@ix+1)
            if @ix > 0 set @tpos=@tpos+1
        end
        set @i1= charindex(@DelimiterStr,@str,@ix+1)
        if @i1=0 
                set @rx=substring(@str,@ix+1,len(@str)-@ix)
        else
            begin
                if @ix=1  
                    set @rx=substring(@str,@ix,@i1-@ix)
                else
                    set @rx= substring(@str,    @ix+1,@i1-@ix-1)        
            end
    --  'print 'ix='+convert(varchar,@ix)+' @i1='+convert(varchar,@i1)+' @rx='+@rx
        RETURN @RX
    end
nulls:  
    RETURN  @rx
end

Answer 5

It think the easiest way to do it, will be, dynamic SQL generation:

// assuming select is a SqlCommand
string[] values = "A,B,C,D,E,F".Split(',');
StringBuilder query = new StringBuilder();
query.Append("select * from tbl_test where tbl_test.code in (");
int i = 0;
foreach (string value in values) {
    string paramName = "@p" + i++;
    query.Append(paramName);
    select.Parameters.AddWithValue(paramName, value);
}
query.Append(")");
select.CommandText = query.ToString();

// and then execute the select Command

Answer 6

A dynamic IN clause means either:

1. Converting the comma separated list into a temporary table to join onto
2. Using dynamic SQL (EXEC or EXEC sp_executesql)

Dynamic SQL example

---

DECLARE @SQL NVARCHAR(4000)

    SET @SQL = 'SELECT * FROM tbl_test t
                 WHERE t.code IN (@string_param)

BEGIN

  EXEC sp_executesql @SQL N'@string_param VARCHAR(100)', @string

END

Mind that sp_executesql is 2005+, and preferred because it will cache the query plan. Read The Curse and Blessings of Dynamic SQL for more detail, but be aware of SQL injection attacks.