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How to split values to multiple rows in SQL?

Let's see how to split values to multiple rows in SQL with an example problem and working solution.

Written by Selva Prabhakaran | 2 min read

Problem

How to split values to multiple rows in SQL?

Input

To illustrate this problem, let’s create a sample input table named “Sales” with some data. The table will have two columns: “Date” and “Amount.”

idvals
1value1,value2,value3
2value4,value5
3value6

Try Hands-On: Fiddle

Create Input Table: Gist

Desired Output

idsplit_value
1value1
2value4
3value6
1value2
2value5
1value3

Solution 1:

Using Recursive SQL

You can split these comma-separated values into multiple rows using a combination of SQL functions. In MySQL, you can use a recursive Common Table Expression (CTE) to achieve this.

Here’s the SQL query to split the values:

sql
    WITH RECURSIVE SplitValues AS (
        SELECT
            id,
            SUBSTRING_INDEX(vals, ',', 1) AS split_value,
            IF(LOCATE(',', vals) > 0, SUBSTRING(vals, LOCATE(',', vals) + 1), NULL) AS remaining_values
        FROM
            original_table
        UNION ALL
        SELECT
            id,
            SUBSTRING_INDEX(remaining_values, ',', 1) AS split_value,
            IF(LOCATE(',', remaining_values) > 0, SUBSTRING(remaining_values, LOCATE(',', remaining_values) + 1), NULL)
        FROM
            SplitValues
        WHERE
            remaining_values IS NOT NULL
    )
    SELECT
        id,
        split_value
    FROM
        SplitValues;

Solution 2:

By using a custom created SQL procedure

sql
    CREATE PROCEDURE SplitAndInsert()
    BEGIN
        DECLARE done INT DEFAULT 0;
        DECLARE id INT;
        DECLARE value VARCHAR(255);
        DECLARE cur CURSOR FOR
            SELECT id, vals FROM original_table;
        DECLARE CONTINUE HANDLER FOR NOT FOUND SET done = 1;

        CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS split_table (
            id INT,
            split_value VARCHAR(255)
        );

        OPEN cur;

        read_loop: LOOP
            FETCH cur INTO id, value;
            IF done THEN
                LEAVE read_loop;
            END IF;

            SET @pos = 1;
            SET @len = LENGTH(value);

            WHILE @pos <= @len DO
                SET @delimiterPos = LOCATE(',', value, @pos);
                IF @delimiterPos = 0 THEN
                    SET @delimiterPos = @len + 1;
                END IF;

                INSERT INTO split_table (id, split_value)
                VALUES (id, SUBSTRING(value, @pos, @delimiterPos - @pos));

                SET @pos = @delimiterPos + 1;
            END WHILE;
        END LOOP;

        CLOSE cur;
    END ;

Call the procudure.

sql
    CALL SplitAndInsert();

View the result

sql
    SELECT * FROM split_table;
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