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How do I convert a string of comma separated values into a database table?

I have a user table that looks like this, where AuthorizedDBList is a string that I use in an IN clause of an Access Database.
UserId, AuthorizedDBList
1, 050','051','052',053
What I want is to convert to a SQL Server, Many-to-Many, AuthorizedDatabase table that looks like this.
UserId, DatabaseId
1,050
1,051
1,052
1,053

My question is... how do I get from one to the other?

DavidMorrison

if this is a one off I'd suggest exporting to a text editor and removing the quotes round the string.

Then pull it into sql which should give each value its own column as you've removed the quotes. from there do a PIVOT statement (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms177410.aspx) and your done

Thanks

Dave

borki

Is this a one-off conversion? Or, are you doing this on a regular basis?
Where are you executing the code, Access (VBA) or SQL server (TSQL)?

Ephraim Wangoya

You can create a split function, then use a loop control to populate your result table

ALTER FUNCTION [dbo].[Split] 
(
@String VARCHAR(8000), 
@Delimiter VARCHAR(1)
) 
RETURNS @Tokens table (Token VARCHAR(255)) 
AS 
BEGIN 
WHILE (CHARINDEX(@Delimiter,@String)>0) 
   BEGIN 
       INSERT INTO @Tokens (Token) VALUES
       (LTRIM(RTRIM(SUBSTRING(@String,1,CHARINDEX(@Delimiter,@String)-1)))) 
       SET @String = SUBSTRING(@String, CHARINDEX(@Delimiter,@String)+LEN(@Delimiter),LEN(@String)) 
   END 
   INSERT INTO @Tokens (Token) VALUES (LTRIM(RTRIM(@String)))
RETURN 
END

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Ephraim Wangoya

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Saurabh Bhadauria

At below you can find excellent way to generate a table from comma separated string..

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/String+Manipulation/72540/

Let me know if you have any doubts..

Henrik Staun Poulsen

I think you should have a look at http://sommarskog.se/arrays-in-sql-2005.html

Erland is a MVP, and his entire homepage is worth spending quite a few hours on reading and understanding.

The link is pointing at a split function, which is implemented in many different ways, and compared to each other for speed, features and robustness.

HIH
Best regards,
Henrik Staun Poulsen, Stovi Software

jamestieman

ASKER

I appreciate everyone's advice, but ewangoya gave me a cut and paste solution that worked the first time.
Thanks to all
Jamie