asked on

if ... field is null then field = 'Some Text'

part of my sql statement is

select jobs.sqlkey, jobs.Job__, jobs.Name, jobfilelocations.person,
jobfilelocations.datetaken, FileBIN = JobFileLocations.sqlKey from jobs
left outer join Jobfilelocations on jobs.sqlkey = jobfilelocations.jobIDx and
(returned = 0 or returned is null)

I want to add something that would make the jobfilelocations.person = 'Filed' if the (retruned is null)

the rest of the sql statement works perfectly, I just need to add something that I am not sure how to do

bbychkov

You can use IsNull in the select list:
select IsNull(jobfilelocations.person, 'Filed') As Person
or you can use CASE:
select CASE WHEN returned IS NULL THEN 'Filed' ELSE jobfilelocations.person END from ...

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Brendt Hess

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Gustavo Perez Buenrostro

RoLaAus,

If I understood your request you should do something like this:

select jobs.sqlkey
,jobs.Job
,jobs.Name
,jobfilelocations.person
,jobfilelocations.datetaken
,FileBIN=JobFileLocations.sqlKey
from jobs
join Jobfilelocations
on jobs.sqlkey=jobfilelocations.jobIDx
and (returned=0 or returned is null)
and (jobfilelocations.person
=case when returned is null
then 'Filed'
else jobfilelocations.person
end)

Gustavo Perez Buenrostro

bhess1,
I didn’t reload the question before my comment was posted.

bbychkov

bhess1,
If "returned is null" states for records from jobs that don't have matching records in jobfilelocations (remember, it's left outer join), then jobfilelocations.person is null for these records as well. Then "IsNull(jobfilelocations.person, 'Filed') As Person" will work.

RoLaAus

ASKER

bbychkov,

is the 'left outer join' appropriate for this?

I am only vaguely familiar with join statements, and usually build the sql using the query building in Access then convert any syntax over to be compatible in SQL

so I am not sure which JOIN type is appropriate, all I know right now is that it work <G> but it might work better, and I am not aware of it.

I will grade your comment as soon as I verify that it works (I switched projects temporarily), but it looks fine - logic wise

RoLaAus

ASKER

thanks, it worked like a charm

I looked for the IF statement in the SQL help in Enterprise Manager, but it didn't give a sample statement

Of course, I should have looked for CASE (had I known about it) but figured i would find the answer quicker here

bbychkov

RoLaAus,
left outer join will give you all records from jobs table and only those records from Jobfilelocations table that have jobfilelocations.jobIDx = jobs.sqlkey. If record from jobs doesn't have matching record in Jobfilelocations then all fileds from Jobfilelocations will be returned as NULL (and IsNull function will replace them with value that you specify). If you need only records from jobs table that have matches in Jobfilelocations then you have to use inner join.

RoLaAus

ASKER

I guess I should have clearified, I do need all job records

we need to know if certain files are on peoples desk (returned would be 0 and their name in the Person field)

or if no one has the job, it would be in the Files - that is why I wanted to add the 'Filed' into the person field, ppl were getting confused by a blank field wondering where the file is located.

thanks again

bbychkov

Than left outer join is fine. And both IsNull and CASE will do it for you.