asked on

Stringing results together

I have a function (SQL Server) I use to return values - see below

CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[GetRelatedRecords] (@id bigint)
returns varchar(250)
as
BEGIN
declare @results varchar(250)
SELECT @results = 'Related Record: ' + R.recordid
FROM RECORDS R
left join LINKS L
ON R.id = L.LinkID
WHERE L.id = @id
RETURN @results
END

Assuming the value or R.Recordid = 'XYZ' then this will return 'Related Record: XYZ' which is great, but there are sometimes more than one match for L.id = @id and I'd like them all (rather than the last one which is what is currently returned.

So if the results were XYZ and ABC I need to return ''Related Records: XYZ|Related Records: ABC'

MMTadmin

Return a table?

Create FUNCTION SalesByStore(@storid varchar(30))
RETURNS TABLE
AS
RETURN (SELECT title, qty
FROM dbo.sales s, dbo.titles t
WHERE s.stor_id = @storid AND t.title_id = s.title_id)
GO

If you really want to return a string (strange) then insert into a table variable loop through it and return the string

QPR

ASKER

This function will be part of a larger select which is why I need the value(s) returned as a single column - how would I loop through the table var to create the string? That would put me in the same situation as my initial question

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Guy Hengel [angelIII / a3]

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David Todd

Hi QPR,

The functionality angelIII used is known as the Quirky Update. (You can do this in an update as well.

Sort answer is that the @results = ... expression is evaluated for each row and produces a delimited string with the column results.

HTH
David

QPR

ASKER

Excellent (as always)