How to convert a Tsql scalar function into a table function? - function

Question

I am using SSMS 2008 and I have the following scalar function to take a text string and remove all metatags from Microsoft Word. The tags are enclosed in "<...>" and there can be any number of tags / record in one column.
I created this scalar function to update each row in this column.
create function dbo.ufn_StripHTML
( #Input varchar(max),
#Delimiter char(1)
)
returns varchar(max)
as
begin
declare #Output varchar(max)
select #Input = replace(replace(#input, '<', #Delimiter), '>', #Delimiter)
select #Output = isnull(#Output, '') + s
from ( select row_number() over (order by n.id asc) [i],
substring(#Delimiter + #Input + #Delimiter, n.id + 1, charindex(#Delimiter, #Delimiter + #Input + #Delimiter, n.id + 1) - n.id - 1) [s]
from [evolv_cs].[dbo].[progress_note] n
where n.id = charindex(#Delimiter, #Delimiter + #Input + #Delimiter, n.id) and
n.id <= len(#Delimiter + #Input)
) d
where i % 2 = 1
return #Output
end
This scalar function would work if [progress_note] had an "id" int column. But it does not and I cannot modify this table either, by adding an int column. So the problem is that I am trying to use this function on a temp table.
So I tried creating a view based on this table and then adding a PK int column to it. Because when I tried to create the view with this additional PK int column ("id"), it gave me an error:
Msg 156, Level 15, State 1, Line 1
Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'identity'.
But ALTER VIEW does not support adding columns. Is there another way to do this? Here is my original temp table I am trying to modify:
select [progress_note].[note_text], [progress_note].[event_log_id]
INTO #TEMP_PN
from [evolv_cs].[dbo].[progress_note]
group by [progress_note].[event_log_id], [progress_note].[note_text]
[note_text] is varchar(max) and event_log_id is uniqueidentifier. So [note_text] contains a bunch of "<" and ">" chars. How can I modify this function to make it a table function?
Of course, if I try to replace [progress_note] table with #TEMP_PN in this function, it will error because it won't recognize it. So how can I modify this function for my case?
Meanwhile, I developed a table function which accepts and outputs a table parameter. It does not error, but it does not return the parsed data I was hoping for either. What is missing?
CREATE TYPE dbo.MyTableType AS TABLE
(
col1 int identity(1,1) NOT NULL,
col2 varchar(max) NULL
)
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[MyTable] (
[col1] [int] identity(1,1) NOT NULL,
[col2] [varchar](max) NULL
)
GO
create PROC usp_AddRowsToMyTable #MyTableParam MyTableType READONLY, #Delimiter varchar(30)
as
INSERT INTO MyTable([col2])
SELECT [col2]
FROM #MyTableParam
--update MyTable
--set col2 = replace(replace(MyTable.col2, '<', #Delimiter), '>', #Delimiter)
select s, i, t
from(
select MyTableInput.col1 [i],
replace(replace(MyTable.col2, '<', #Delimiter), '>', #Delimiter) as t,
substring(#Delimiter + MyTableInput.col2 + #Delimiter, MyTable.col1 + 1,
charindex(#Delimiter, #Delimiter + MyTableInput.col2 + #Delimiter, MyTable.col1 + 1) - MyTable.col1 - 1) [s]
from MyTable
inner join MyTable as MyTableInput on MyTable.col1 = MyTableInput.col1
where MyTable.col1 = CHARINDEX(#Delimiter, #Delimiter + MyTableInput.col2 + #Delimiter, MyTable.col1)
and MyTable.col1 <= LEN(#Delimiter + MyTableInput.col2)
) d
DECLARE #MyTable MyTableType
INSERT INTO #MyTable(col2)
VALUES ('<h><dsf>2000<h><dsf>'),
('<sd><dsf>2001'),
('2002<vnv><dsf>'),
('<gsd><dsf>2003<h><dsf>'),
('<eefs><dsf><h><dsf>2004<dfgd><dsf>')
EXEC dbo.usp_AddRowsToMyTable #MyTableParam = #MyTable, #Delimiter = '|'

Answer 1

Not sure I'm understanding your question, but here is how you would modify your function so that it returns a table (it's called a Table-Valued Function):
create function dbo.ufn_StripHTML
( #Input varchar(max),
#Delimiter char(1)
)
returns #retYourNewTable table
(
id int primary key clustered not null,
yoursecond column varchar(100) null,
....
)
as
....
Is this what you're looking for?