Recursive SQL to split CSV to table rows

Question

After working on a different question here on SO, I stumbled across recursive CTEs which would on the surface seem a fairly easy way to solve the \"Split a csv to table rows\" p

Answer 1

This one will work with empty strings

DECLARE @InputString VARCHAR(1000)
    SELECT @InputString = 'a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z,,1'

    SELECT SUBSTRING(',' + @InputString + ',', Number + 1,
    CHARINDEX(',', ',' + @InputString + ',', Number + 1) - Number -1)AS VALUE
    FROM master..spt_values
    WHERE type = 'p'
    AND Number <= LEN(',' + @InputString + ',') - 1
    AND SUBSTRING(',' + @InputString + ',', Number, 1) = ','
    GO

Also take a look at the comments here: Split string in SQL Server 2005+ CLR vs. T-SQL for some other ideas