SQL SELECT with DISTINCT on multiple columns

DISTINCT on multiple columns

In SQL multiple fields may also be added with DISTINCT clause. DISTINCT will eliminate those rows where all the selected fields are identical.

Example: Sample SELECT statement

Here is a simple query on some selected columns in orders table where agent_code='A002'

SQL Code:

SELECT agent_code, ord_amount, cust_code, ord_num
FROM orders 
WHERE agent_code='A002';

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Tree:

Sample table: orders

Output:

AGENT_CODE ORD_AMOUNT CUST_CODE     ORD_NUM
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
A002             2500 C00005         200106
A002              500 C00022         200123
A002              500 C00009         200120
A002              500 C00022         200126
A002             3500 C00009         200128
A002             1200 C00009         200133
A002             4000 C00022         200113

The above result shows the same agent_code, ord_amount and cust_code appears more than once in theorders table.

Example: SELECT with DISTINCT on two columns

To get the identical rows (based on two columns agent_code and ord_amount) once from the orders table, the following SQL statement can be used :

SQL Code:

SELECT DISTINCT agent_code,ord_amount
FROM orders 
WHERE agent_code='A002';

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Tree:

Output:

AGENT_CODE ORD_AMOUNT
---------- ----------
A002             3500
A002             1200
A002             4000
A002              500
A002             2500

Pictorial presentation:

Example: SELECT with DISTINCT on three columns

To get the identical rows (based on three columnsagent_code, ord_amount, and cust_code) once from the orders table, the following SQL statement can be used:

SQL Code:

SELECT DISTINCT agent_code, ord_amount,cust_code
FROM orders 
WHERE agent_code='A002';

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Tree:

Output:

AGENT_CODE ORD_AMOUNT CUST_CODE
---------- ---------- ----------
A002              500 C00022
A002             3500 C00009
A002             2500 C00005
A002              500 C00009
A002             4000 C00022
A002             1200 C00009

Pictorial presentation:

Example : SELECT with DISTINCT on all columns of the first query

To get the identical rows (on four columns agent_code, ord_amount, cust_code, and ord_num) once from the orders table , the following SQL statement can be used :

SQL Code:

SELECT DISTINCT agent_code,ord_amount,cust_code,ord_num  
FROM orders 
WHERE agent_code='A002';

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Tree:

Output:

AGENT_CODE ORD_AMOUNT CUST_CODE     ORD_NUM
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
A002              500 C00022         200126
A002             2500 C00005         200106
A002              500 C00009         200120
A002             1200 C00009         200133
A002             4000 C00022         200113
A002             3500 C00009         200128
A002              500 C00022         200123

In the above output, all rows whose agent_code is 'A002' have returned because there is no identical rows on agent_code, ord_amount, cust_code and ord_num. See the following presentation :

Pictorial presentation:

SELECT with DISTINCT on multiple columns and ORDER BY clause

You can use an order by clause in the select statement with distinct on multiple columns. Here is an example:

SQL Code:

SELECT DISTINCT agent_code,ord_amount
FROM orders 
WHERE agent_code='A002' 
ORDER BY ord_amount;

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Tree:

Output:

AGENT_CODE ORD_AMOUNT
---------- ----------
A002              500
A002             1200
A002             2500
A002             3500
A002             4000

Pictorial presentation:

COUNT() function and SELECT with DISTINCT on multiple columns

You can use the count() function in a select statement with distinct on multiple columns to count the distinct rows. Here is an example:

SELECT COUNT(*) 
FROM (
SELECT  DISTINCT agent_code, ord_amount,cust_code
FROM orders 
WHERE agent_code='A002');

Output:

  COUNT(*)
----------
         6

Pictorial presentation:

Practice SQL Exercises

• SQL Exercises, Practice, Solution
• SQL Retrieve data from tables [33 Exercises]
• SQL Boolean and Relational operators [12 Exercises]
• SQL Wildcard and Special operators [22 Exercises]
• SQL Aggregate Functions [25 Exercises]
• SQL Formatting query output [10 Exercises]
• SQL Quering on Multiple Tables [8 Exercises]
• FILTERING and SORTING on HR Database [38 Exercises]
• SQL JOINS
• SQL JOINS [29 Exercises]
• SQL JOINS on HR Database [27 Exercises]
• SQL SUBQUERIES
• SQL SUBQUERIES [39 Exercises]
• SQL SUBQUERIES on HR Database [55 Exercises]
• SQL Union[9 Exercises]
• SQL View[16 Exercises]
• SQL User Account Management [16 Exercise]
• Movie Database
• BASIC queries on movie Database [10 Exercises]
• SUBQUERIES on movie Database [16 Exercises]
• JOINS on movie Database [24 Exercises]
• Soccer Database
• Introduction
• BASIC queries on soccer Database [29 Exercises]
• SUBQUERIES on soccer Database [33 Exercises]
• JOINS queries on soccer Database [61 Exercises]
• Hospital Database
• Introduction
• BASIC, SUBQUERIES, and JOINS [39 Exercises]
• Employee Database
• BASIC queries on employee Database [115 Exercises]
• SUBQUERIES on employee Database [77 Exercises]
• More to come!

Want to improve the above article? Contribute your Notes/Comments/Examples through Disqus.