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SQL Get distinct list from any query

Hi

I want to get a distinct list from any query such as the one below

Select * From Customers Where [Company] >= 'Company A' And [Company] <= 'Company G'

I tried the following but get the error Incorrect syntax near ')'.

Select Distinct Company From (Select * From Customers Where [Company] >= 'Company A' And [Company] <= 'Company G')

FarWest

Select distinct works on result set row level so it will get only one row of any repeated row
Specifying column name only works whith aggregation function like Count

Nakul Vachhrajani

Try this:

Select Distinct t.Company From (Select * From Customers Where [Company] >= 'Company A' And [Company] <= 'Company G') AS t

(I don't have a SQL Server instance readily accessible - I'll share a working example as soon as I have one).

Bascially, SQL Server is looking for a table alias that is can use for the outer query.

SOLUTION

Nakul Vachhrajani

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PortletPaul

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PortletPaul

>>"I want to get a distinct list from any query ..."

Please be careful with the notion that any query is suited to use of "SELECT DISTINCT"
"SELECT DISTINCT" is the enemy of performance, it should be used sparingly.
IF used, do it with as few columns as possible.

see "Select Distinct is returning duplicates" in particular the “Hail Mary Distinct”
There are 2 references at the end of that article I recommend too.

Murray Brown

ASKER

Thanks very much