Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 09:16:41 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Ben K." <bkim@coe.tamu.edu>
To: pgsql-sql@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Most efficient way to hard-sort records
In-Reply-To: <op.s8590fficigqcu@apollo13>
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.64.0605070837330.12629@coe.tamu.edu>
References: <445C5A94.4020907@startnet.cz>
	<Pine.GSO.4.64.0605061507500.7602@coe.tamu.edu>
	<op.s8590fficigqcu@apollo13>
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> 	CREATE TABLE sorted (order_no SERIAL PRIMARY KEY, other columns...)
> 	INSERT INTO sorted (columns) SELECT * FROM main_table INNER JOIN 
> key_table ON main_table.id = key_table.main_table_id WHERE key = 'param' ORDER 
> BY value SELECT
> 	The SERIAL will automatically generate the order_no you want, which 
> corresponds to the position in the sorted set.
> Then, to get the records in-order :
> 	SELECT * FROM sorted ORDER BY order_no

Good ... I just got myself into the habit of not recreating a table since 
I have to clean up permissions and what not. I guess it depends.

Another version along that line ?

# create sequence counterseq start 1;
-- (set/reset whenever a counter is needed)

# select main_table.*, nextval('counterseq') as position2
   into sorted_main_table
   from main_table, keytable where main_table.id =
   keytable.main_table_id
   order by value;


Regards,

Ben K.
Developer
http://benix.tamu.edu