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You can use WHERE item_desc_2 IS Nothing

what I need is something to concatenate desc1 and 2 when 2 is null.
In classic sql it would look like isnull(i.item_desc_2,'') + item_desc_1

Try this.

Arun

Dim VchrItems = From r _
                In ap3.imrechst_sqls _
                Join i In ap3.imitmidx_sqls _
                    On r.item_no Equals i.item_no _
                Order By IIF(i.item_desc_2.Trim() = Nothing, "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim(), i.item_desc_2.Trim() & "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim())
                Where r.pack_no = f.billNo.Text _
                Select r.user_def_1, r.ord_no, r.item_no, IIF(i.item_desc_2.Trim() = Nothing, "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim(), i.item_desc_2.Trim() & "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim()), r.loc, r.vend_item_no, r.qty_ordered, r.qty_received, r.qty_rejected, r.rej_reason_cd, r.actual_cost, r.extra_10, r.extra_11, r.extra_12, r.ctl_no, r.vchr_dt, r.vchr_no, r.ID

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@Arun;

Your solution looks very much as the one I posted above.

Fernando

I get the exception:

Cannot order by type 'System.Object'

Hi g_johnson;

That sounds correct because IIF( ... ) retuens an object, append the ToString() methiod to IIF as shown below.

Order By IIF(i.item_desc_2.Trim() = Nothing, "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim(), i.item_desc_2.Trim() & "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim()).ToString() _

Fernando

My code now looks like the attached, and my data looks like this:

item_desc_2                                                 item_desc_1
NULL                                                 BOLT                          
16", Women's Special                Frame, XLR Aluminum          
NULL                                                 Nut              

but my sort comes out
Nut
BOLT
Nut
16" ...
16" ...

Doesn't make sense, does it?
             

Dim VchrItems = From r _
                In ap3.imrechst_sqls _
                Join i In ap3.imitmidx_sqls _
                    On r.item_no Equals i.item_no _
                Order By IIf(i.item_desc_2.Trim() = Nothing, i.item_desc_1.Trim(), i.item_desc_2.Trim() & "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim()).ToString() _
                Where r.pack_no = f.billNo.Text _
                Select r.user_def_1, r.ord_no, r.item_no, i.item_desc_1, i.item_desc_2, r.loc, r.vend_item_no, r.qty_ordered, _
                    r.qty_received, r.qty_rejected, r.rej_reason_cd, r.actual_cost, r.extra_10, r.extra_11, r.extra_12, _
                    r.ctl_no, r.vchr_dt, r.vchr_no, r.ID
            'Order By i.item_desc_2.Trim() & "/" & i.item_desc_1.Trim() _

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It is difficult to tell seeming I can not tell how the two tables are being joined?

I don't know if this is enough info or not, but imrechst_sql contains the item_no field, bill_no and of course other information.  There will be a many to one relationship on item_no that I am joining with.  item_no is never null in either table, but bill_no can be null in imrechst (and does not appear in imitmidx_sql.  So that explains the join column and the where column.  If there is anything else I can provide to help so it, I would be happy to.

Do you have a small database which you can zip and upload to here? If so I will have a look.

In spite of the efforts, I don't know if I have the correct answer or not.  Nothing seems to work.  Because of the proprietary nature of the data, I cannot upload a database.  However, I am going to try to find time in the next couple of days to put a scenario together with limited (fake) data.  Thanks for your efforts so far.  Please leave the quesiton open if you can.