xp-sscanf-transact-sql.md

title	xp_sscanf (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs
ms.custom
ms.date	03/14/2017
ms.prod	sql
ms.prod_service	database-engine
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ms.technology	system-objects
ms.topic	language-reference
f1_keywords	xp_sscanf_TSQL xp_sscanf
dev_langs	TSQL
helpviewer_keywords	xp_sscanf
ms.assetid	619a9df1-7008-407e-a75a-bc6f851454a8
author	CarlRabeler
ms.author	carlrab

xp_sscanf (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDEtsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md]

Reads data from the string into the argument locations specified by each format argument.

Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

  
xp_sscanf { string OUTPUT , format } [ ,argument [ ,...n ] ]   

Arguments

string
Is the character string to read the argument values from.

OUTPUT
When specified, puts the value of argument in the output parameter.

format
Is a formatted character string similar to what is supported by the C-language sscanf function. Currently, only the %s format argument is supported.

argument
Is a varchar variable set to the value of the corresponding format argument.

n
Is a placeholder that indicates that a maximum of 50 arguments can be specified.

Return Code Values

0 (success) or 1 (failure)

Result Sets

xp_sscanf returns the following message:

Command(s) completed successfully.

Permissions

Requires membership in the public role.

Examples

The following example uses xp_sscanf to extract two values from a source string based on their positions in the format of the source string.

DECLARE @filename varchar (20), @message varchar (20);  
EXEC xp_sscanf 'sync -b -fproducts10.tmp -rrandom', 'sync -b -f%s -r%s',   
  @filename OUTPUT, @message OUTPUT;  
SELECT @filename, @message;  

[!INCLUDEssResult]

-------------------- --------------------   
products10.tmp        random  

See Also

System Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)
General Extended Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)
xp_sprintf (Transact-SQL)