code: public static List<String> categoriesFromString(String categoriesList) {
  		List<String> result = new ArrayList<String>();
  		try {
  			if (categoriesList != null) {
  				String[] categories = categoriesList.split(DescribeService.CATEGORY_SEPARATOR);
  				if (categories != null && categories.length != 0) {
  					for (String cat : categories) {
  						result.add(cat);
  					}
  				}
  			}
  		} catch (Exception ignore) {
  			logger.warn("DescribeService", ignore);
  		}
  
  		return result;
  	}
docs: Converts a comma separated list of categories into a {@link List}
  
  @param categoriesList
  @return