Subquery doesn't work, syntax is correct???

I get this error:
Error 1064:  You have an error in your SQL syntax.  Check the manual that correspond to your MYSQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'Select max(price) from rooms' at line 3

unless you use mysql 4.1, mysql doesn't support subqueries...

An alternative is this:

Select @max := max(price) from rooms;

Select a.price, a.name
from rooms
where a.price = @max;

Execute the two in series within the same database connection.

Dossy: We have already established that the user cannot use subqueries, so the first example os out.  As for the second one: did you try this? You are combining an aggregate function with non-aggregate functions, which will cause MySQL to error out on illegal syntax.

Squeebee:  You're right, phake123 did say MySQL 4.0 -- oops.  And yes, the second query doesn't do what I thought.

Creating a simple test:

mysql> create table rooms (price int, name varchar(100));
mysql> insert into rooms values (10, "ten");
mysql> insert into rooms values (11, "eleven");        
mysql> insert into rooms values (15, "fifteen");        
mysql> insert into rooms values (5, "five");

This isn't optimal (as the ORDER BY still causes MySQL to do a full table scan and a filesort) but it works:

SELECT   price, name
FROM     rooms
ORDER   BY price DESC
LIMIT     1;

Returns the "15, fifteen" row.

However, your suggestion of using a variable to store MAX(price) and using that in a subsequent WHERE clause is definitely the most optimal solution since it CAN take advantage of indexes, etc.

Hi Dossy;

Sorry to nit-pick but there is one scenario you need to consider: What happens when more than one product exists at the highest price? In such a situation you will only return one of the highest priced items, but if you had two items that each cost $15 only one would be returned. I'm not criticizing, just giving your something else to think about.

Yup, you're right.

Thanks everyone.  All your inputs were great!