How to split a comma-separated value to columns

Question

I have a table like this

Value   String
-------------------
1       Cleo, Smith

I want to separate the comma delimited string into two colu

Answer 1

I think following function will work for you:

You have to create a function in SQL first. Like this

CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[fn_split](
@str VARCHAR(MAX),
@delimiter CHAR(1)
)
RETURNS @returnTable TABLE (idx INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY, item VARCHAR(8000))
AS
BEGIN
DECLARE @pos INT
SELECT @str = @str + @delimiter
WHILE LEN(@str) > 0 
    BEGIN
        SELECT @pos = CHARINDEX(@delimiter,@str)
        IF @pos = 1
            INSERT @returnTable (item)
                VALUES (NULL)
        ELSE
            INSERT @returnTable (item)
                VALUES (SUBSTRING(@str, 1, @pos-1))
        SELECT @str = SUBSTRING(@str, @pos+1, LEN(@str)-@pos)       
    END
RETURN
END

You can call this function, like this:

select * from fn_split('1,24,5',',')

Implementation:

Declare @test TABLE (
ID VARCHAR(200),
Data VARCHAR(200)
)

insert into @test 
(ID, Data)
Values
('1','Cleo,Smith')


insert into @test 
(ID, Data)
Values
('2','Paul,Grim')

select ID,
(select item from fn_split(Data,',') where idx in (1)) as Name ,
(select item from fn_split(Data,',') where idx in (2)) as Surname
 from @test

Result will like this: