SQL: how to get all the distinct characters in a column, across all rows
- by frankadelic
Is there an elegant way in SQL Server to find all the distinct characters in a single varchar(50) column, across all rows?
Bonus points if it can be done without cursors :)
For example, say my data contains 3 rows:
productname
-----------
product1
widget2
nicknack3
The distinct inventory of characters would be "productwigenka123"