From: <terry@ashtonwoodshomes.com>
To: <mailreg@numerixtechnology.de>, <pgsql-sql@postgresql.org>
Subject: Re: ORDER BY and NULLs
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2004 11:17:31 -0400
Message-ID: <011d01c49e5b$c88fdb20$2766f30a@development.greatgulfhomes.com>
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In-Reply-To: <414D9E5D.8070708@numerixtechnology.de>
Importance: Normal

Use the coalesce() function.  (coalesce returns the first non-null value in its list)

Specifically

ORDER BY coalesce("TO", 0), "FROM"

If you have records in "TO" column whose values is LESS then 0, then you need to replace 0 with
something that sorts BEFORE the first most value that your TO result can return.

Terry Fielder
Manager Software Development and Deployment
Great Gulf Homes / Ashton Woods Homes
terry@greatgulfhomes.com
Fax: (416) 441-9085


> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-sql-owner@postgresql.org
> [mailto:pgsql-sql-owner@postgresql.org]On Behalf Of T E Schmitz
> Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 10:58 AM
> To: pgsql-sql@postgresql.org
> Subject: [SQL] ORDER BY and NULLs
>
>
> Hello,
>
> I am using PostgreSQL 7.4.2 and as I understand NULL values
> always sort
> last.
>
> However, I have a table from which select using two numerical
> sort keys
> "FROM" and "TO". "TO" might be NULL and I would like to display those
> rows first (without sorting the column in descending order).
>
> Is there any way this can be achieved without inserting bogus values
> into that column?
>
> --
>
>
> Regards/Gruß,
>
> Tarlika Elisabeth Schmitz
>
> ---------------------------(end of
> broadcast)---------------------------
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