Question

Possible Duplicates:
SQL Multiple Parameter Values
SQL Server (2008) Pass ArrayList or String to SP for IN()

I would like to SELECT some rows from a table that have certain values which are not known at the time a stored procedure is written. For example, searching for books of a particular type or types in a library database:

SELECT * FROM Books WHERE Type IN (_expr_);

Where I want _expr_ to be ('Humor', 'Thriller') one run, and maybe ('Education') the next, depending on the user’s choices. How can I vary the expression at run-time?

Unfortunately, I still have a lot to learn about SQL in general and am not sure if I’m even asking a question that makes sense. I would appreciate any guidance!

Answer 1

This is trickier than you might think in SQL Server 2005 (2008 has table valued parameters which makes it easier)

See http://www.sommarskog.se/arrays-in-sql-2005.html for a review of the methods.