The query I posted above should get you this from what I can tell.  If you're not getting the results you expect, why don't you post us an example of...

I did it via a VB script task using FileSystemObject.

I'm not a neophyte by any means.  I've been getting paid to play with computers for over 12 years.  I've taken the trainings offered to me, learned what I could...

--as above, with minor modifications

create

table #tbl1 (col1 int, col2 int)

Is this what you're looking for: http://blogs.msdn.com/camerons/archive/2006/06/27/648194.aspx

?

You might want to check out this article on Scan vs Seek:

http://blogs.msdn.com/craigfr/archive/2006/06/26/647852.aspx

My favorite resources:

this website (look through the articles)

sql-server-performance.com

SQL Tuning by Dan Tow

I don't have this yet but it's definitely on my list:

Pro SQL Server 2005 Database Design and Optimization

You might want to post here:

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=95&SiteID=1

the MS folks tend to monitor these forums.

SELECT

case when CHARINDEX(',',new_contributor) > 0 then

LEFT(new_contributor,CHARINDEX(',',new_contributor) - 1)

else

new_contributor

end as [LNAME],

case when CHARINDEX(',',new_contributor) > 0 then

 --Change here

LTRIM(RIGHT(new_contributor,LEN(new_contributor)...

Just noticed another bug.  You parse based upon two different charindexes.  In one case you're looking for ',', in the other you're looking for ' '.  What of the last...

create

table #tmp

(

new_contributor varchar(50))

insert

into #tmp