duplicate records

i misspoke.  not duplicate records, but duplicate results.

So, there must be 2 records in one of the tables - check these out seperately -

select * from TEMP_CHILDQUES_PRI_DBEP_CHILDREN
where CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ = 308

and

select * from TEMP_CHILDQUES_SEC_DBEP_CHILDREN
where CHSEC_CQSEC_SEQ = 208

whatever number records you get in these two queries, you will get the product of the two in the bigger query.

If you have duplicats, and you want to surpress duplicates, just add the DISTINCT word :

select DISTINCT
CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ, CHPRI_CHILD_SEQ, CHPRI_FNAME, CHPRI_LNAME, CHPRI_DOB, CHPRI_AGE, CHPRI_PCRELATIONSHIP
, CHSEC_CQSEC_SEQ, CHSEC_CHILD_SEQ, CHSEC_FNAME, CHSEC_LNAME, CHSEC_DOB, CHSEC_AGE, CHSEC_PCRELATIONSHIP
from
TEMP_CHILDQUES_PRI_DBEP_CHILDREN, TEMP_CHILDQUES_SEC_DBEP_CHILDREN
where CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ = 308
and CHSEC_CQSEC_SEQ = 208

in TEMP_CHILDQUES_PRI_DBEP_CHILDREN i have these two rows

CHPRI_SEQ, CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ, CHPRI_CHILD_SEQ, CHPRI_FNAME, CHPRI_LNAME, CHPRI_DOB, CHPRI_AGE, CHPRI_PCRELATIONSHIP
      468      308      0      Ed      OTTO      1/1/1989      1      son (test)
      469      308      0      alice      OTTO      8/25/1996      48      granddaughter (test)

in TEMP_CHILDQUES_SEC_DBEP_CHILDREN i have these two rows
CHSEC_CQSEC_SEQ, CHSEC_CHILD_SEQ, CHSEC_FNAME, CHSEC_LNAME, CHSEC_DOB, CHSEC_AGE, CHSEC_PCRELATIONSHIP

      204      208      0      ed      OTTO      1/1/1989      1      son (test)
      205      208      0      alice      OTTO      8/25/1996      48      granddaughter (test)


I need to get all four rows back so I can compare them side by side.  users will be checking for mismatches
between this row from the first table
      468      308      0      Ed      OTTO      1/1/1989      1      son (test)

and this row from the second
      204      208      0      ed      OTTO      1/1/1989      1      son (test)


what i get back from that query is eight rows instead of four.

You will need more data than just this. As Bill said, it has no way of knowing. And since this looks like genealogy type data, each of the non-key values can be the same. For example, you could legitimately have 2 Ed's, one a son and one a grandson with different birth dates. Of if you matched on birth date then you would run into trouble with twins.

What you may need to do is create 2 different selects that can be compared side by side, ordering each set of data in the same order (say birthdate then name). The it would be easy to glance down the list to see anywhere they dont line up. Fix the data, then pull it again.

With the data structure you've shown us, I cant find a way

No perfect but should help to remove dups and get elements side by side....

select
CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ, CHPRI_CHILD_SEQ, CHPRI_FNAME, CHPRI_LNAME, CHPRI_DOB, CHPRI_AGE, CHPRI_PCRELATIONSHIP
, CHSEC_CQSEC_SEQ, CHSEC_CHILD_SEQ, CHSEC_FNAME, CHSEC_LNAME, CHSEC_DOB, CHSEC_AGE, CHSEC_PCRELATIONSHIP
from TEMP_CHILDQUES_PRI_DBEP_CHILDREN
FULL OUTER JOIN TEMP_CHILDQUES_SEC_DBEP_CHILDREN on CHPRI_FNAME = CHSEC_FNAME and CHPRI_DOB = CHSEC_DOB and CHPRI_LNAME = CHSEC_LNAME and CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ = 308
and CHSEC_CQSEC_SEQ = 208
ORDER BY coalesce( CHPRI_FNAME,CHSEC_FNAME ), coalesce(CHPRI_LNAME, CHSEC_LNAME ), coalesce(CHPRI_DOB, CHSEC_DOB )

note : don't try to put conditions (eg CHPRI_CQPRI_SEQ = 308) in a WHERE clause, keep them in the JOIN or the OUTER join will turn into an INNER join and you'll lose rows

HTH

Hilaire

thanks bill and all who offered  suggestions.  i ended up using two separate selects in two stored procedures to do the side by side.

cheers