How to Efficiently Query Comma-Separated Column Values for Specific Values in Oracle 10g?

Queries for Comma-Separated Column Values with a Specific Value

In a table where a column contains comma-separated values representing categories, there is a need to retrieve rows based on the presence of a particular category. While utilizing LIKE statements may suffice, there are concerns about efficiency and accuracy.

The FIND_IN_SET() function, though documented in Oracle documentation, is not supported in the 10g version. Consequently, an alternative approach is required for querying the comma-separated column values effectively.

A solution employing LIKE with modifications to account for partial matches and commas is as follows:

select 
  * 
from
  YourTable 
where 
  ',' || CommaSeparatedValueColumn || ',' LIKE '%,SearchValue,%'

However, this query is susceptible to performance issues due to the use of LIKE. Moreover, it assumes that values do not contain spaces or commas, which may not always be the case.

To mitigate these limitations, a more efficient and reliable solution is to restructure the table by introducing a child table for categories and a cross-linking table to establish relationships with the main table. This approach provides better performance and accuracy for querying comma-separated column values with specific values.

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