Question

Bad MSSQL Query

Asked by: wulfshayde

I have a similar query that works but this one is not:

SELECT DISTINCT org_location.loc_Name, org_location.*, organization.org_Name  
FROM org_location
LEFT JOIN organization ON org_location.loc_OrgID = organization.orgID
LEFT JOIN org_department ON org_location.ID = org_department.dep_locationID
WHERE dep_record = 1
ORDER BY org_Name, loc_Name

It keeps giving me the following error:

The text, ntext, or image data type cannot be selected as DISTINCT.

What am I doing wrong??

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Asked On
2005-09-01 at 21:51:57ID21548635
Tags

distinct

,

image

,

ntext

Topic

Databases Miscellaneous

Participating Experts
3
Points
250
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: dotmeatPosted on 2005-09-01 at 22:54:39ID: 14807902

if one of a filed in "select statement" (org_location.loc_Name, org_location.*, organization.org_Name) is text, ntext, or image data type you can not use DISTINCT.
Try to remove DISTINCT in your query

SELECT org_location.loc_Name, org_location.*, organization.org_Name  
FROM org_location
...

 

by: arnoldPosted on 2005-09-01 at 22:57:49ID: 14807912

Are you not duplicating items within your request?
org_location.loc_Name is included in org_location.*

See below for reference to use of DISTINCT in a select query
http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_select.asp
Run this query
SELECT DISTINCT org_location.loc_Name, org_location.*  
FROM org_location
Same error?

Post the query that does work

select distinct [column_name],* from [table] I would think will generate the same error

i.e. How can DISTINCT be applied to any column in the table?
 

 

by: wulfshaydePosted on 2005-09-01 at 23:15:14ID: 14807973

@dotmeat

If I remove DISTINCT the query works but then it returns duplicate org_location.loc_Name results. I need distinct results of that.

@arnold

Thats what I though initially but I ran this query:

SELECT DISTINCT organization.org_Name, organization.*
FROM organization
INNER JOIN org_location ON organization.orgID = org_location.loc_OrgID
INNER JOIN org_department ON org_location.ID = org_department.dep_locationID
WHERE dep_record = 1
ORDER BY org_Name

And got the results I was expecting. What I have done is taken a different approach to the same problem, I now use the following:

SELECT org_location.loc_Name, org_location.ID, organization.org_Name  
FROM org_location
LEFT JOIN organization ON org_location.loc_OrgID = organization.orgID
LEFT JOIN org_department ON org_location.ID = org_department.dep_locationID
WHERE dep_record = 1
GROUP BY org_Name, loc_Name, org_location.ID

Since I only really need those three fields and the results return as expected.

 

by: patriktPosted on 2005-09-01 at 23:17:40ID: 14807984

Yes the text column in org_location table is source of error.

If you want to use DISTINCT all columns returned by SELECT has to be "comparable" it means support "is equal" operation. The text (ntext, image and others also) data type is not comparable.

If you are not sure post structure of org_location table.

Generaly it is not good habit to use * in query. Better is to list all columns needed. If you later change structure (add needed column for example) you will destroy all queries using *.


Patrik

 

by: patriktPosted on 2005-09-01 at 23:20:35ID: 14807996

I see some misunderstanding in your post wulfshayde.

The DISTINCT is used for WHOLE columns list, not just following column.

Patrik

 

by: wulfshaydePosted on 2005-09-01 at 23:21:38ID: 14807998

@patrikt

Noted for future reference.

Thank you everyone for all the help.

}wulf{

 

by: dotmeatPosted on 2005-09-01 at 23:24:28ID: 14808010

so try this

SELECT DISTINCT  org_location.loc_Name, org_location.ID, organization.org_Name  
FROM org_location
LEFT JOIN organization ON org_location.loc_OrgID = organization.orgID
WHERE dep_record = 1

 

by: wulfshaydePosted on 2005-09-01 at 23:28:14ID: 14808023

@dotmeat
That's the trick, Thanks!

}wulf{

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