Google Sheets – How to Use the SPLIT Function with Different Delimiters

google sheets

My question is similar to this one:
SPLIT function in Google Spreadsheets with OR statement

but has the following difference:

I want to use the delimiter "apple" and the delimiter "." within the SPLIT function.

Since the delimiter apple has multiple characters, @parkydr answer here doesn't work.

Example:

On this input on A2:

I ate an apple on the bus home. Going

I want it to split like this:

I ate an / on the bus home / Going

I tried this:

=SPLIT(A2,"apple.",TRUE)

I / t   /   n   / on / th   / bus / hom / Going

and this

=SPLIT(A2,"'apple''.'",TRUE)

I / t   /   n   / on / th   / bus / hom / Going

and this

=SPLIT(A2,"apple.",false)

I ate an apple on the bus home. Going

and this

=SPLIT(A2,"apple"".",false)
#ERROR Formula parse error.

and this

=SPLIT(A2,"'apple''.'",false)
I ate an apple on the bus home. Going

How to make return the next split?

I ate an / on the bus home / Going

Best Answer

You'll have to replace all delimiters with a unique delimiter and split.

=SPLIT(REGEXREPLACE(A2,"apple|\.","✱"),"✱")