I need to parse a text field (Description), delimited by '\n', into three separate fields. I am doing this by utilizing substr
and instr
, but it results in difficult to read and repetitive sql. Is there a way to create and use a variable or expression to hold the "position" value returned by the instring function so I can pass that variable to substr
instead? My code posted below functions and returns the correct results, but it doesn't feel right. There's a lot of duplication.
Relevant Raw Data:
DBKEY DBTIME DBUSER DESCRIPTION
40846809 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 abc$userid The following Message List entry has been logged:\nError Number:5011\nDescription:Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: UPC: is not numeric\nSeverity:0
40846810 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 abc$userid The following Message List entry has been logged:\nError Number:5000\nDescription:Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: ID: NEW not 9 digits\nSeverity:0
40846811 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 abc$userid The following Message List entry has been logged:\nError Number:5001\nDescription:Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: ID: NEW not numeric\nSeverity:0
Desired Results:
DBKEY DBTIME USERID ERROR_NUM DESCRIPTION SEVERITY
40846809 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 userid 5011 Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: UPC: is not numeric 0
40846810 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 userid 5000 Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: ID: NEW not 9 digits 0
40846811 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 userid 5001 Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: ID: NEW not numeric 0
40846812 2013-11-18 11:04:11.0000000 userid 5003 Planogram: 60E90001006.0SMA :: ID: NEW ID must begin with 000,200,220,900,950,990,or 999 0
Current Code:
SELECT DBKEY,DBTIME,
SUBSTR(DBUSER,INSTR(DBUSER,'$',1,1)+1) AS USERID,
SUBSTR(ERROR_NUM,INSTR(ERROR_NUM,':')+1) AS ERROR_NUM,
SUBSTR(DESC1,INSTR(DESC1,':')+1) AS DESCRIPTION,
SUBSTR(SEVERITY,INSTR(SEVERITY,':')+1) AS SEVERITY
FROM(
SELECT l.DBKEY,DBTIME,DBUSER,
--substring(description,first+2,second-first-2)
SUBSTR(DESCRIPTION,INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,1)+2,INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,2)-INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,1)-2) AS ERROR_NUM,
--substring(description,second+2,third-second-2)
SUBSTR(DESCRIPTION,INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,2)+2,INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,3)-INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,2)-2) AS DESC1,
--substring(description,third+2)
SUBSTR(DESCRIPTION,INSTR(DESCRIPTION,'\n',1,3)+2) AS SEVERITY
/*,
INSTR(DESCRIPTION,''\n'',1,1) as first,
INSTR(DESCRIPTION,''\n'',1,2) as second,
INSTR(DESCRIPTION,''\n'',1,3) as third,
*/
FROM EVENT_LOG l
)derivedtbl