How to split a string into variables in sql?

Question

I have a string which looks like BAT | CAT | RAT | MAT I want to split this string into 4 parts and then store them into 4 different variables say .. @a,@b,@c,@

Answer 1

Nice and simple. (Using PATINDEX in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.)

DECLARE @string varchar(25) = 'BAT | CAT | RAT | MAT'
DECLARE @one varchar(5) = null
DECLARE @two varchar(5) = null
DECLARE @three varchar(5) = null
DECLARE @four varchar(5) = null

BEGIN

      SET @one = SUBSTRING(@string, 0, PATINDEX('%|%', @string)) 
      SET @string = SUBSTRING(@string, LEN(@one + '|') + 1, LEN(@string))

      SET @two = SUBSTRING(@string, 0, PATINDEX('%|%', @string))
      SET @string = SUBSTRING(@string, LEN(@two + '|') + 1, LEN(@string))

      SET @three = SUBSTRING(@string, 0, PATINDEX('%|%', @string))
      SET @string = SUBSTRING(@string, LEN(@three + '|') + 1, LEN(@string))

      SET @four = @string

      SELECT @one AS Part_One, @two AS Part_Two, @three AS Part_Three, @four AS Part_Four
END