Dear paul_ramster,

First of all, thanks for the new version of the query and sharing your knowledge. That is why we (at least I visit this website.)

The point raised by you is valid. But it can be handeled by MAXRECURSION query hint. I should have mentioned it in the script. Thanks for pointing it out.

The query provided by you does not require the MAXRECURSION hint. Tally table solution was in my mind when i attempted this approach. But, hard to believe, tally table solution was a bit slower. Even your query is vary slow with 424 items in a list. here is the code;

Declare @vTable Table(id int,val varchar(Max))

Insert into @vTable Values (1,'Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf s s s s s s s sdlkfjdslkfj sldkfsldkfj;lskd Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf s s s s s s s sdlkfjdslkfj sldkfsldkfj;lskd Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf s s s s s s s sdlkfjdslkfj sldkfsldkfj;lskd Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf sakjdf slakjdhf lskajhfd lksajdhflksajhdf lkjdsahflksajhdf salkdj flksajdhf lksajfd lksjd flksjadh flkjsahdf lkhfdlkjhdfs lksajdhf lksajdh flksjah flkasdjh flksjdh flkjs lkfjshlkdjfh s Atif Sheikh2 Sheikh123 skdjhfksdjhflkjdshflkjsahlkjfhalsjkhdflkjashldkfjhsalkjdhflksajdhflkjsadhflkjsahdlkfjhsadlkjfh sldkjflksajhdflkashdflkjahsdkfewiuyroiewuyoiuyoitureotiuoiutyoiuret,b,zcmnxbv,mzxnvb,mnxcvb,mnxzvb,mnxzcvb,mnxzvb,mnxbz,mvnbxz,mcnvb,mxzncvb,mxcznvb,mnxczbvmnlkhsdkljfhskljdhflkdjhkljshakdjlfhslkjhfkljsahdflkjsahd slkdjflskdjhflkjsahdfkjlsd lskdjhfslkjdhflkjs slkdjhflsakjdhflks skjd lksjhdfskjldhf ls slkdjhfslkjdhf lksajd fsaldkjfh slkjd fskldjhf lksjahdflksjahd flkjsadhflkjsadhflkjshadf slkjhfslakjhflkajshdf s s s s s s s sdlkfjdslkfj sldkfsldkfj;lskd')

Insert into @vTable Values (2,'Asif Sheikh1 Sheikh2 Sheikh3')

;with spc (id, num) as

(select a.id, 0

from @vTable a

union all

select a.id, t.num

from @vTable a

inner join tally t

on t.num <= len(a.val) and SUBSTRING(a.val,t.num,1) = ' '

)

select a.id, substring(v.val, a.num + 1, coalesce(b.num-1, len(v.val)) - a.num) as Val

from @vTable v

inner join spc a on a.id = v.id

left join spc b on b.id = a.id and b.num > a.num

and not exists (

select 1

from spc c

where c.id = b.id and c.num > a.num and c.num < b.num

)

order by a.id, a.num

Goes worst if clustered index is created on NUM column if tally table. (It did atleast on my PC with)

Here is my query with MAXRECURSION query hint...

;with wcte (id,val,strpos) as

(

Select id,substring(val,0,case when charindex(' ',val,0) = 0 then Len(val) else charindex(' ',val,0) + 1 end) as val

,charindex(' ',val,0) + 1 strpos from @vTable

Union all

Select b.id,substring(b.val,strpos,case when charindex(' ',b.val,strpos) = 0 then Len(b.val) else charindex(' ',b.val,strpos) - strpos end) as val

,charindex(' ',b.val,strpos) + 1 strpos

from @vTable b

Inner Join wcte on wcte.id = b.ID

and wcte.strpos <> 1

)Select id,Val from wcte

order by id

OPTION (MAXRECURSION 500 )

The difference is very clear.

Thanks once again and please update me if am going the wrong way....