The following Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL code examples demonstrate parsing / splitting of a string and returning substrings.

--  T-SQL applying charindex for string parsing

USE NorthWind

DECLARE  @ProductCode VARCHAR(256)

SET @ProductCode = 'CCCC-DDDDDDD-AAA-BBBBB'

SELECT [Part1] = LEFT(@ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',@ProductCode) - 1),

       [Part2] = SUBSTRING(@ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',@ProductCode) + 1,

                           CHARINDEX('-',@ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',

                           @ProductCode) + 1) - (CHARINDEX('-',@ProductCode) + 1)),

       [Part3] = SUBSTRING(@ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',

                           @ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',@ProductCode) + 1) + 1,

                           DATALENGTH(@ProductCode) - CHARINDEX('-',

                           @ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',@ProductCode) + 1) -

                           CHARINDEX('-',REVERSE(@ProductCode))),

       [Part4] = RIGHT(@ProductCode,CHARINDEX('-',REVERSE(@ProductCode)) - 1)

GO

/*

Part1 Part2 Part3 Part4

CCCC  DDDDDDD     AAA   BBBBB

*/

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-- SQL Server Table-Valued Function for string parsing/splitting - TVF

------------

USE AdventureWorks2008

GO

CREATE FUNCTION dbo.fnParseStringXML (

      @StringList NVARCHAR(MAX),

      @Delimiter CHAR(1))

RETURNS @TableList TABLE(ID int identity(1,1) PRIMARY KEY,

                         [Substring] NVARCHAR(max))

BEGIN

      IF @StringList = '' RETURN

      DECLARE @XML xml

      SET @XML = '<root><csv>'+replace(@StringList,@Delimiter,'</csv><csv>')+

                 '</csv></root>'

      INSERT @TableList

      SELECT rtrim(ltrim(replace(Word.value('.','nvarchar(max)'),char(10),'')))

             AS ListMember

      FROM @XML.nodes('/root/csv') AS WordList(Word)

RETURN

END -- FUNCTION

GO

-- Test TVF

DECLARE  @ProductCode VARCHAR(256)

SET @ProductCode = 'CCCC-DDDDDDD-AAA-BBBBB'

SELECT * FROM  dbo.fnParseStringXML  (@ProductCode, '-')

GO

/*

ID    Substring

1     CCCC

2     DDDDDDD

3     AAA

4     BBBBB

*/

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Related articles:

SQL Server Forums - Best split function

t-sql string parsing

http://www.sqlusa.com/bestpractices/training/scripts/userdefinedfunction/