Apply ForeignKey when data stored with comma saprator

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SQL-Server-2005

I want to create Foreign key with comma saperator
e.g

Colors
-----------
Cid           int
ColorName     Varchar(50)

Packets
------------
PackingId        int
PackingType      varchar(50)
PackingColorIds  varchar(max)

Data like this

Colors
-----------
Cid        ColorName
1          white
2          Green
3          Orange


Packets
------------------
PackingId        PackingType      PackingColorIds
1                Midium           1,2
2                Large            1,2,3

Now I want constraint Of Foreign key over this Packets table PackingColorIds Column

If it is possible then how to achieve this in sql?

I want do with this criteria, not want third table Packet-color...

Posted 5-Nov-12 2:09am

Aarti Meswania

Updated 5-Nov-12 2:26am

v2

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Sanjay K. Gupta 5-Nov-12 8:16am

I think, it is not possible. You have to add a child table for holding the foreign-primary relation.

psychic6000 5-Nov-12 8:25am

as far as i know a single record can only be addressed using foreign key (1 to many/ 1 to 1, no many to many)
but for many to many, create a fact table which only holds the primary keys of both tables.

willempipi 5-Nov-12 8:33am

"I want do with this criteria, not want third table Packet-color..."

Ted Codd will be very pleased...

URVISH_SUTHAR1 3-Jan-13 8:52am

Yup, better to use child table .... :)

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willempipi · Answer 1 · 2012-11-05T02:23:00

Solution 1

XML

Create a link-table(PacketColors) for the colorid's with 2 columns:

1. PagingId
2. ColorId

Then lose you comma sepated field.

This way you'll get the following reference:

PackingId <=== PacketColors ===> Colors

Posted 5-Nov-12 2:23am

willempipi

Updated 5-Nov-12 2:24am

v2

Comments

Aarti Meswania 5-Nov-12 8:24am

Thanks but
I know this simple method
but I want do perform on this criteria I have mentioned in Question

psychic6000 · Answer 2 · 2012-11-05T02:50:00

C#

i dont know if this scenario is exactly what you need, or you are just giving an example of what you want,
for this case you might need something like a string split function, once you have your values you will be comparing those with color id. you can write procedures etc to get that. but this only make things bigger and complex... may be your actual solution worth the complexity or not...

here are some links, how to do it.

An Easy But Effective Way to Split a String using Transact-SQL[^]
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/transactsql/thread/4126a010-6885-4eb0-b79c-c798c90edb85[^]

once you have your string as record, you can use them like

select * from color_table where color id in (select * from split_result)

split result = complete logic of your splitting method...