sql server - SQL CASE LIKE with multiple choices -

in query have following part of code:

case when field1 '%choice1%' or field1 '%choice1%' .... 'category 1'      when field1 '%choicea%' or field1 '%choiceb%' .... 'category 2' end 'cats'

i have numerous of choices (1line 20), (2line 15 , son on).

can make code cleaner, use in for?

example:

case when field1 in ('%choice1'.'%choice2%',...) 'category 1'      when field1 in ('%choicea'.'%choiceb%',...) 'category 2' end 'cats'

p.s. heard can use somehow || can't find in google how use them.

what think problem?

if choices known, put them in table , use join:

select field1, c.category maintable  left join choices c on field1 ('%' + c.choice + '%')

update:
if there sub-strings inside 1 category, add distinct query.

Lix