SQL Stored Procedure LIKE

Question

This is a simple question and I can\'t seem to think of a solution.

I have this defined in my stored procedure:

@communityDesc varchar(255) = NULL


        

Answer 1

In only works with sets of values, not with characters in a string. To answer your question technically, the only way you could do this is to create a set of values representing the three values 'aaa', 'bbb' & 'ccc' and then put those three values into a table (a Temp Table or table variable (in SQL Server), and then perform IN against that set of values (against the table:

declare @Vals table (value varchar(20))
insert @vals(Value) Values('aaa')
insert @vals(Value) Values('bbb')
insert @vals(Value) Values('ccc')

select * from SomeOtherTable 
Where SomeColumn IN (Select value from @vals)

To create the set you would need to create an empty temp table or table variable to hold this set of values, parse the comma delimited string into individual values, and enter those individual values into the temp table or table variable.

although you don't say, if you are using SQL Server, the following is a SQL Server User Defined function (UDF) that will parse a delimited string and return a table with one row for each delimted value:

if you create the UDF, then you would use it as follows:

select * from SomeOtherTable 
Where SomeColumn IN 
        (Select sVal from
          dbo.ParseSTring(@communityDesc, ','))

---

/****** Object:  UserDefinedFunction [dbo].[ParseString]    
    Script Date:      4/8/2016 1:53:00 PM ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
ALTER FUNCTION [dbo].[ParseString] (@S Text, @delim VarChar(5))
Returns @tOut Table 
(ValNum Integer Identity Primary Key, 
 sVal VarChar(8000))
As
Begin 
Declare @dLLen TinyInt  -- Length of delimiter
Declare @sWin  VarChar(8000)-- Will Contain Window into text string
Declare @wLen  Integer  -- Length of Window
Declare @wLast TinyInt  -- Boolean to indicate processing Last Window
Declare @wPos  Integer  -- Start Position of Window within Text String
Declare @sVal  VarChar(8000)-- String Data to insert into output Table
Declare @BtchSiz Integer    -- Maximum Size of Window
Set @BtchSiz = 7900 -- (Reset to smaller values to test routine)
Declare @dPos Integer   -- Position within Window of next Delimiter
Declare @Strt Integer   -- Start Position of each data value in Window
-- --------------------------------------------------------------

-- ---------------------------
If @delim is Null Set @delim = '|'
If DataLength(@S) = 0 Or
    Substring(@S, 1, @BtchSiz) = @delim Return
-- ---------------------------
Select @dLLen = Len(@delim),
    @Strt = 1, @wPos = 1,
    @sWin = Substring(@S, 1, @BtchSiz)
Select @wLen = Len(@sWin),
      @wLast = Case When Len(@sWin) = @BtchSiz
                Then 0 Else 1 End,
      @dPos = CharIndex(@delim, @sWin, @Strt)
-- ----------------------------
While @Strt <= @wLen
  Begin
    If @dPos = 0 Begin    -- No More delimiters in window
        If @wLast = 1 Set @dPos = @wLen + 1 
        Else Begin
            Set @wPos = @wPos + @Strt - 1
            Set @sWin = Substring(@S, @wPos, @BtchSiz)
                -- -------------------------------------
            Select @wLen = Len(@sWin), @Strt = 1,
            @wLast = Case When Len(@sWin) = @BtchSiz
                Then 0 Else 1 End, 
                                      @dPos = CharIndex(@delim, @sWin, 1)
            If @dPos = 0 Set @dPos = @wLen + 1 
            End
        End
        -- -------------------------------
    Set @sVal = LTrim(Substring(@sWin, @Strt, @dPos - @Strt))
    Insert @tOut (sVal) Values (@sVal)
    -- -------------------------------
    -- Move @Strt to char after last delimiter
    Set @Strt = @dPos + @dLLen 
    Set @dPos = CharIndex(@delim, @sWin, @Strt)
    End
Return
 End