Counts the number of times a given character shows up in a varchar

getCharCount.sql

-- =============================================
-- Author:	Miles Rausch
-- Create date: 12/8/2011
-- Description:	Counts the number of times a given character shows up in a varchar
-- =============================================
CREATE FUNCTION getCharCount 
(
	@source varchar(MAX),
	@char char(1)
)
RETURNS int
AS
BEGIN
	DECLARE @count int
	DECLARE @index int
	
	SET @count = 0
	SET @index = 0
	
	WHILE @index < Len(@source)
	BEGIN
		IF LOWER(SUBSTRING(@source, @index, 1)) = LOWER(@char)
		BEGIN
			SET @count = @count + 1
		END
		
		SET @index = @index + 1
	END
	
	RETURN @count

END
GO