VBScript Split() in Classic ASP: Convert a String to an Array

Use Split() to divide a text string at a character such as a comma, space or pipe (|). The result is a zero-based VBScript array, so the first value is parts(0).

Split a comma-separated string

 Copy<%
Option Explicit
Dim parts, item
parts = Split("red,green,blue", ",")
For Each item In parts
    Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(item) & "<br>"
Next
%>

Output:

red
green
blue

The example separates the text at each comma and prints each array item on a new line. A Join() operation performs the reverse task: combining array values into a string.

VBScript Split() syntax and arguments ↑

Split(expression[, delimiter[, count[, compare]]])

The expression is the string to divide. The remaining arguments are optional:

For the compare argument, include the earlier optional arguments too; for example, use Split(text, "x", -1, vbTextCompare).

Split by spaces, commas, pipes and other delimiters ↑

Split a sentence using spaces

Dim words
words = Split("Welcome to plus2net", " ")
Response.Write words(0) & " / " & words(1) & " / " & words(2)

Output: Welcome / to / plus2net. If the delimiter argument is omitted, VBScript uses a single space.

Split a string with a pipe character

Dim details
details = Split("Name|Class|Mark", "|")
Response.Write details(1)

Output: Class. The pipe is just another delimiter; it does not require special escaping.

Split on a multi-character separator

Dim sections
sections = Split("HTML :: CSS :: ASP", " :: ")
Response.Write sections(0) & " - " & sections(2)

Output: HTML - ASP. The delimiter can be a string of multiple characters, not just one character. The complete delimiter sequence must match.

Limit the number of parts returned ↑

The third argument specifies the maximum number of array elements. With a limit of 3, the first two delimiters are used and the remainder stays in the third element.

 Copy<%
Option Explicit
Dim myString, myArray
myString = "Welcome to plus2net, learn web programming and design"
myArray = Split(myString, " ", 3)
Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(myArray(0)) & "<br>"
Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(myArray(1)) & "<br>"
Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(myArray(2))
%>

Output:

Welcome
to
plus2net, learn web programming and design

Use -1 for an unlimited split (the default). A limit of 1 keeps the entire original string in one element, while a limit of 0 returns an empty array.

Access array elements and display all values ↑

After splitting, use parentheses for indexes: myArray(0), myArray(1), and so on. VBScript does not use the square-bracket syntax myArray[0] for array indexing. Learn more about VBScript array declarations and array bounds.

 Copy<%
Option Explicit
Dim myString, myArray, item
myString = "Welcome to plus2net, learn web programming and design"
myArray = Split(myString, " ")
For Each item In myArray
    Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(item) & "<br>"
Next
%>

You can also use LBound() and UBound() when you need each element’s numeric index:

 Copy<%
Dim fruits, i
fruits = Split("apple,banana,mango", ",")
For i = LBound(fruits) To UBound(fruits)
    Response.Write i & " = " & Server.HTMLEncode(fruits(i)) & "<br>"
Next
%>

Output: 0 = apple, 1 = banana, 2 = mango, each on a separate line. Use For Each when you only need values, not indexes.

Case-sensitive and case-insensitive delimiters ↑

By default, Split() uses binary matching for the delimiter. Specify vbTextCompare to split at both uppercase and lowercase versions of a letter.

 Copy<%
Dim textValue, binaryParts, textParts
textValue = "redXgreenxblue"
binaryParts = Split(textValue, "x", -1, vbBinaryCompare)
textParts = Split(textValue, "x", -1, vbTextCompare)
Response.Write "Binary: " & UBound(binaryParts) + 1 & " parts<br>"
Response.Write "Text: " & UBound(textParts) + 1 & " parts"
%>

Output: Binary: 2 parts and Text: 3 parts. A binary comparison matches the lowercase x only, while a text comparison also matches uppercase X.

Handle extra spaces and empty elements ↑

Consecutive delimiters create empty values. For example, Split("apple,,mango", ",") produces three elements; the middle element is an empty string. To skip empty entries, trim each value and check its length.

 Copy<%
Dim inputText, values, value
inputText = "apple, ,banana,, mango"
values = Split(inputText, ",")
For Each value In values
    value = Trim(value)
    If Len(value) > 0 Then
        Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(value) & "<br>"
    End If
Next
%>

Output: apple, banana, mango on separate lines. This is useful for simple delimited lists, but it is not a complete CSV parser when fields contain quoted commas or embedded line breaks. See Trim() for removing outer whitespace.

Practical Classic ASP examples ↑

Get the filename from a script path

The server variable SCRIPT_NAME normally contains the virtual path of the ASP script. Split that path by / and take the last array value. This complements the Classic ASP file handling tutorial.

 Copy<%
Dim pathValue, pathParts, fileName
pathValue = Request.ServerVariables("SCRIPT_NAME")
pathParts = Split(pathValue, "/")
fileName = pathParts(UBound(pathParts))
Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(fileName)
%>

For an executing ASP script at /scripts/example.asp, the output would be example.asp. If you only need the last path segment, this is a simple use of splitting.

Read a comma-separated list from a submitted form

A server-side page can split a user-submitted list from Request.Form. The example below reads a field named topics, trims the values, and HTML-encodes each one for display. See Classic ASP forms and the Request object.

 Copy<%
Dim topicsInput, topicsArray, topic
topicsInput = Trim(Request.Form("topics"))
If Len(topicsInput) > 0 Then
    topicsArray = Split(topicsInput, ",")
    For Each topic In topicsArray
        topic = Trim(topic)
        If Len(topic) > 0 Then
            Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(topic) & "<br>"
        End If
    Next
End If
%>

For a submitted value of HTML, ASP, SQL, the page displays HTML, ASP, and SQL separately. In a production form, also validate length and permitted values before storing or acting on the input.

Combine the array values again using Join()

Dim tags, resultText
tags = Split("ASP,SQL,HTML", ",")
resultText = Join(tags, " | ")
Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(resultText)

Output: ASP | SQL | HTML. Continue with Join() in VBScript and Filter() for array values.

Keep extra delimiter characters in the last value

Splitting key/value text with a limit of 2 is useful when a value itself may include the separator. Without the limit, the extra separator would create additional array elements.

 Copy<%
Dim settingLine, pair
settingLine = "theme=dark=contrast"
pair = Split(settingLine, "=", 2)
Response.Write "Key: " & Server.HTMLEncode(pair(0)) & "<br>"
Response.Write "Value: " & Server.HTMLEncode(pair(1))
%>

Output: Key: theme and Value: dark=contrast. The count argument retains the remaining text after the first matching delimiter.

Split multi-line text

Use vbCrLf to split text containing Windows-style CRLF line breaks. A string using only line-feed (vbLf) separators requires a different delimiter; Split() does not automatically normalize line endings.

 Copy<%
Dim notes, rows, row
notes = "First line" & vbCrLf & "Second line"
rows = Split(notes, vbCrLf)
For Each row In rows
    Response.Write Server.HTMLEncode(row) & "<br>"
Next
%>

This approach is appropriate when you control the line-ending format. For user-uploaded files, check the actual newline convention before choosing the delimiter.

Count the returned array items

For a nonempty source string, the number of parts is UBound(parts) - LBound(parts) + 1. Check for empty input before relying on array indexes or bounds.

 Copy<%
Dim listText, listParts
listText = "red,green,blue"
If Len(listText) = 0 Then
    Response.Write "0 items"
Else
    listParts = Split(listText, ",")
    Response.Write (UBound(listParts) - LBound(listParts) + 1) & " items"
End If
%>

Output: 3 items. Empty entries created by adjacent commas still count as array elements; filter them first if you need the number of nonempty entries.

Special cases and common errors ↑

Frequently asked questions ↑

Does Split() return a string or an array?

It returns a one-dimensional, zero-based VBScript array. Access items with indexes such as parts(0) or loop with For Each.

What is the default separator in Split()?

A single space. For comma-separated values, supply the delimiter explicitly: Split(text, ",").

How do I get only the first two parts of a string?

Use Split(text, ",", 2). The second array element contains any remaining comma-separated content.

Does Split() automatically remove extra spaces?

No. Split("A, B", ",") gives "A" and " B". Use Trim() on each item when necessary.

How do I split case-insensitively?

Pass vbTextCompare as the fourth argument, for example Split(text, "x", -1, vbTextCompare). This changes delimiter comparison, not the case of the returned text.

Can Split() parse a full CSV file?

Not reliably. CSV fields can contain quoted commas, doubled quotes and line breaks. Use a CSV-aware implementation for those formats; Split() works best for simple delimited text.

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Subhendu Mohapatra

Author & Instructor at plus2net

I write and maintain practical tutorials on Python, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, and web development at plus2net. The tutorials focus on clear explanations, working examples, and code that readers can test and adapt while learning.

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