Using COALESCE in SQL view

Question

I need to create a view from several tables. One of the columns in the view will have to be composed out of a number of rows from one of the table as a string with comma-separat

Answer 1

EDIT: Modified answer to include creation of view.

/* Set up sample data */
create table Customers (
    CustomerId int,
    CustomerName VARCHAR(100)
)

create table Orders (
    CustomerId int,
    OrderName VARCHAR(100)
)

insert into Customers
    (CustomerId, CustomerName)
    select 1, 'John' union all
    select 2, 'Marry'

insert into Orders
    (CustomerId, OrderName)
    select 1, 'New Hat' union all
    select 1, 'New Book' union all
    select 1, 'New Phone'
go

/* Create the view */       
create view OrderView as    
    select c.CustomerName, x.OrderNames
        from Customers c
            cross apply (select stuff((select ',' + OrderName from Orders o where o.CustomerId = c.CustomerId for xml path('')),1,1,'') as OrderNames) x
go

/* Demo the view */
select * from OrderView
go 

/* Clean up after demo */
drop view OrderView
drop table Customers
drop table Orders
go

Answer 2

In SQL Server 2008, you can take advantage of some of the features added for XML to do this all in one query without using a stored proc:

 SELECT CustomerName,
    STUFF( -- "STUFF" deletes the leading ', '
        ( SELECT ', ' + OrderName
        FROM Orders
        WHERE CustomerId = Customers.CutomerId
        -- This causes the sub-select to be returned as a concatenated string
        FOR XML PATH('') 
        ),
    1, 2, '' )
    AS Orders
 FROM Customers