[SQL 2012] split string with forbidden characters

Question

Hi all,
I have an issue with a query
I would like to find an equivalent of pivot function, but with a column that contains forbidden characters (like []&) and using delimiter (,), and when number of value on column could be different :
colA              colB                   colC
toto              titi                     [valeur].[membre].&[test1],[valeur].[membre].&[test2],[valeur].[membre].&[test3]
tata              tutu                   [valeur].[membre].&[test4],[valeur].[membre].&[test5]
fifi                fafa                    [valeur].[membre].&[test6]
fofo              fufu                    [valeur].[membre].&[test7],[valeur].[membre].&[test7],[valeur].[membre].&[test9]
what should give :
colA              colB                   colC
toto              titi                     [valeur].[membre].&[test1]
toto              titi                     [valeur].[membre].&[test2]
toto              titi                     [valeur].[membre].&[test3]
tata              tutu                   [valeur].[membre].&[test4]
tata              tutu                   [valeur].[membre].&[test5]
fifi                fafa                    [valeur].[membre].&[test6]
fofo              fufu                    [valeur].[membre].&[test7]
fofo              fufu                    [valeur].[membre].&[test8]
fofo              fufu                    [valeur].[membre].&[test9]
I try with splitstring function, xml path, but nothing works.
Thanks in advance.
Xavier

Answer 1

Xavier,
check if this helps:
simple usage of a split function which can then be cross applied with the table.
--CREATE FUNCTION dbo.fn_sample_Split
-- @RowData nvarchar(2000),
-- @SplitOn nvarchar(5)
--RETURNS @RtnValue table
-- Id int identity(1,1),
-- Data nvarchar(100)
--AS
--BEGIN
-- Declare @Cnt int
-- Set @Cnt = 1
-- While (Charindex(@SplitOn,@RowData)>0)
-- Begin
-- Insert Into @RtnValue (data)
-- Select
-- Data = ltrim(rtrim(Substring(@RowData,1,Charindex(@SplitOn,@RowData)-1)))
-- Set @RowData = Substring(@RowData,Charindex(@SplitOn,@RowData)+1,len(@RowData))
-- Set @Cnt = @Cnt + 1
-- End
-- Insert Into @RtnValue (data)
-- Select Data = ltrim(rtrim(@RowData))
-- Return
--END
declare @tab table (cola varchar(20),colb varchar(20),colc varchar(100))
INSERT @tab SELECT 'toto','titi','[valeur].[membre].&[test1],[valeur].[membre].&[test2],[valeur].[membre].&[test3]'
INSERT @tab SELECT 'tata','tutu','[valeur].[membre].&[test4],[valeur].[membre].&[test5]'
INSERT @tab SELECT 'fifi','fafa','[valeur].[membre].&[test6]'
INSERT @tab SELECT 'fofo','fufu','[valeur].[membre].&[test7],[valeur].[membre].&[test7],[valeur].[membre].&[test9]'
select t.cola,t.colb,fn.data
From @tab t
cross apply dbo.fn_sample_split(t.colc,',') fn
Thanks,
Jay
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