Convert Plain Text to HTML - sql

Question

I am having HTML code text as
select prd_desc from prd_mst
prd_desc
------------------------------------------------
<u>hello</u> <font color="#cc0000">dfgfdg</font>
How can i make it format in a HTML as 'hello...'
I am using replace function for all those special HTML characters or sqlserver has some shortcut, function for it.

Answer 1

You can use the XML datatype for this.
If you cast your value to XML that will give you a XML fragment that consists of one text element only. Extract that value using the value() function and you have a string that is not entitized.
select cast(p.prd_desc as xml).value('text()[1]', 'nvarchar(max)') as prd_desc
from dbo.prd_mst as p
Result:
prd_desc
-------------------------------------------------
<u>hello</u> <font color="#cc0000">dfgfdg</font>

Answer 2

Try this,
create FUNCTION udf_HtmlDecode
(
#UnDecoded as varchar(max)
)
RETURNS varchar(500)
AS
BEGIN
--declare #UnDecoded as varchar(500);
--set #UnDecoded = 'xvfxv <u>cbgdfgd</u> <font color="#cc0000">dfgfdg</font> <b>gdfgdf</b><br>';
DECLARE #Encoded as varchar(max)
--order is important here. Replace the amp first, then the lt and gt.
--otherwise the &lt will become &lt;
SELECT #Encoded = Replace(
Replace(
Replace(
Replace(#UnDecoded,'&','&'),
'<', '<'),
'>', '>'),
'"','"')
RETURN #Encoded
--select #Encoded
END
then execute
select dbo.udf_HtmlDecode('<u>hello</u> <font color="#cc0000">dfgfdg</font>')
will return
<u>hello</u> <font color="#cc0000">dfgfdg</font>