In SQL Server can you find the first number in a string?

Question

I have a varchar(50) sql server column with data like this:

RawData
----------------------------
Washington 40 New Orleans 32
Detroit 27 St. Louis 23
         


        

Answer 1

Maybe a bit complicated but it works for what you need:

declare @test table(mytext varchar(50))

insert @test values('Washington 40 New Orleans 32')
insert @test values('Detroit 27 St. Louis 23')

select 
WinningTeam=SubString(mytext, 0,PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', mytext)), 
WinningTeamScore=Left(SubString(mytext, PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', mytext), 50),PatIndex('%[^0-9.-]%', SubString(mytext, PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', mytext), 50) + 'X')-1),
LosingTeam=SubString(mytext, PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', mytext)+3,PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', mytext)), 
LosingTeamScore=reverse(Left(SubString(reverse(mytext), PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', reverse(mytext)), 50),PatIndex('%[^0-9.-]%', SubString(reverse(mytext), PatIndex('%[0-9.-]%', reverse(mytext)), 50) + 'X')-1)) 
from @test

The query above works for scores under 100 points but you can modify it to deal with any number.