What's the most efficient way to normalize text from column into a table?

Question

In T-SQL I have a column with some text in it with a format like the following:

[Key1:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]
[Key2:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]
[Key3:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]

where there can be any number of bracket sets, but usually between 3 and 6. I'm looking for a way to quickly format them into a temp table or table variable so I can report on the data. For example, I'd want the table format to be:

|Key|Column 1|Column 2|Column 3|Column 4|Column 5|  
|Key 1|Value 1|Value 2|Value 3|Value 4|Value 5|  
|Key 2|Value 1|Value 2|Value 3|Value 4|Value 5|  
|Key 3|Value 1|Value 2|Value 3|Value 4|Value 5|  

I know this is pushing the limits of SQL and should be handled through modification of the application, but I'm hoping there's something clever I can do with T-SQL for now.

Answer 1

If you have a maximum number of columns, a little XML within a CROSS APPLY.

If unknown, you would have to go DYNAMIC.

Example

Declare @YourTable Table ([ID] varchar(50),[SomeCol] varchar(50))
Insert Into @YourTable Values 
 (1,'[Key1:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]')
,(2,'[Key2:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]')
,(3,'[Key3:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]')

Select A.ID
      ,B.*
 From  @YourTable A
 Cross Apply (
                Select Pos1 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[1]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos2 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[2]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos3 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[3]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos4 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[4]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos5 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[5]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos6 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[6]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos7 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[7]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos8 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[8]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos9 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[9]','varchar(max)')))
                From  (Select Cast('<x>' + replace(replace(replace(SomeCol,'[',''),']',''),':','</x><x>')+'</x>' as xml) as xDim) as A 
             ) B

Returns

ID  Pos1    Pos2    Pos3    Pos4    Pos5    Pos6    Pos7    Pos8    Pos9
1   Key1    Value1  Value2  Value3  Value4  Value5  NULL    NULL    NULL
2   Key2    Value1  Value2  Value3  Value4  Value5  NULL    NULL    NULL
3   Key3    Value1  Value2  Value3  Value4  Value5  NULL    NULL    NULL

EDIT

I should add, the ltrim(rtrim(...)) is optional and the varchar(max) is my demonstrative default.

EDIT - One String delimited with CRLF

Declare @S varchar(max)='
[Key1:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]
[Key2:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]
[Key3:Value1:Value2:Value3:Value4:Value5]
'

Select B.*
 From  (
        Select RetSeq = Row_Number() over (Order By (Select null))
              ,RetVal = LTrim(RTrim(B.i.value('(./text())[1]', 'varchar(max)')))
        From  (Select x = Cast('<x>' + replace(@S,char(13)+char(10),'</x><x>')+'</x>' as xml).query('.')) as A 
        Cross Apply x.nodes('x') AS B(i)
       ) A
 Cross Apply (
               Select  Pos1 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[1]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos2 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[2]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos3 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[3]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos4 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[4]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos5 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[5]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos6 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[6]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos7 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[7]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos8 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[8]','varchar(max)')))
                      ,Pos9 = ltrim(rtrim(xDim.value('/x[9]','varchar(max)')))
                From  (Select Cast('<x>' + replace(replace(replace(RetVal,'[',''),']',''),':','</x><x>')+'</x>' as xml) as xDim) as A 
       ) B
 Where A.RetVal is not null