How to Split a String in PL/SQL?

In this article, I am giving an example of a function which I mostly use to split a string in PL/SQL. Especially, when I am writing a program to import a delimited file. Here are that function and an example of how to use it.

PL/SQL Function to Split a String

This function takes four parameters, and the details of these parameters are as under:

1. Source_String: String to Split
2. Field_Position: Delimiter Position
3. UnTerminated: False by default, but if you pass True, then it will add the specified delimiter at the end of the string.
4. Delimiter: Default is Comma ',', you can pass any other delimiter.

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION GetString (
Source_string IN VARCHAR2,
Field_position IN NUMBER,
UnTerminated IN BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
Delimiter IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT ',')
RETURN VARCHAR2
IS
iPtrEnd PLS_INTEGER := 0;
iPtrStart PLS_INTEGER := 0;
vcSourceStrCopy VARCHAR2 (4000) := Source_string;
BEGIN
IF UnTerminated
THEN
vcSourceStrCopy := vcSourceStrCopy || Delimiter;
END IF;

IF Field_Position > 1
THEN
iPtrStart :=
INSTR (vcSourceStrCopy,
Delimiter,
1,
Field_Position - 1)
+ LENGTH (Delimiter);
ELSE
iPtrStart := 1;
END IF;

iPtrEnd :=
INSTR (vcSourceStrCopy,
Delimiter,
1,
Field_Position);
RETURN SUBSTR (vcSourceStrCopy, iPtrStart, (iPtrEnd - iPtrStart));
END GetString;

Example: Use This Function in PL/SQL Program

SET SERVEROUTPUT ON;

DECLARE
   v_string      VARCHAR2 (1000) := 'Java|.Net|C|Oracle|PHP';

   TYPE t_string IS TABLE OF VARCHAR2 (1000)
                       INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;

   t_str_array   t_string;
BEGIN
   FOR i IN 1 .. 5
   LOOP
      t_str_array (i) :=
         getstring (v_string,
                    i,
                    TRUE,
                    '|');
   END LOOP;

   FOR j IN t_str_array.FIRST .. t_str_array.LAST
   LOOP
      DBMS_OUTPUT.put_Line (t_str_array (j));
   END LOOP;
END;
/

Output:

Java
.Net
C
Oracle
PHP
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

See also:

• Export Data into JSON using PL/SQL in Oracle 11g
• PL/SQL Program to Print Employee details