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talahi

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Using a sql query, how to select an individual row and column data?


Background:  Using an external table I loaded vertical (by column) data from an excel file.  Now I want to arrange this data in rows.  So basically I'm trying to convert data formatted in columns to rows.  From a temp table I called each column col1, col2, col3 hoping I could

select rownum, 'col'||rownum from temp_table
from temp_table
            GROUP BY rownum, 'COL'||rec_rownum HAVING rownum = 1;

but that doesn't work.

table description:

CREATE TABLE temp_table
(
  COL1   VARCHAR2(20 BYTE),
  COL2   VARCHAR2(20 BYTE),
  COL3   VARCHAR2(20 BYTE))

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Sean Stuber

use UNION and query each column separately
ee.txt
alternately, use cartesian join to unpivot your data

ee.txt
Avatar of talahi

ASKER

I'm not sure I see it.  

I'm trying to go from data read into a table like this (temp_table_cols)

COL1      COL2      COL3
COL1      COL2      COL3
COL1      COL2      COL3
COL1      COL2      COL3
COL1      COL2      COL3

to regular rows of data like this  (temp_table_rows),

COL1      col1      col1      col1      col1                                    
COL2      col2      col2      col2      col2                                    
COL3      col3      col3      col3      col3
your results can't be dynamic,  the number of columns must be known at the time the sql statement is parsed.

how many rows do you want to convert to columns?
Avatar of talahi

ASKER

Just as above, 3 columns of data converted into 3 rows of data.  
I hoped I could grab
COL1(1,1) and put it in ROW(1,1) and
COL1(1,2) into ROW(1,2) etc.
5 rows becomes 5 columns.

are you saying your temp_table will never have more than 5 rows of data in it?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Sean Stuber

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ASKER

Wow, as usual I'm impressed, thanks again.