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For 2023 (and 2024 ...) - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))
MySQL - JOIN or WHERE to link tables correctly?

MySQL tables can be joined using two different syntaxes - one that simply lists the tables to be joined and then uses a where clause to select how the join is done, and the second using an explicit join keyword. Here's an example of both syntaxes in use, linking a table of estate agents (realtors) to the houses they have currently got for sale:

select agent, town, phone, aid, agid, sid, locate, asking from agents join sales on aid = agid;
select agent, town, phone, aid, agid, sid, locate, asking from agents, sales where aid = agid;


The results produced are identical and in the case of MySQL I understand that they both run with equal efficiency - the "where" format one being recognised by the MySQL daemon as a join and converting it across.

However, I strongly recommend that you use the join syntax.. Here's why ...

There are two types of element in a database selection command - there are MANDATORY or RULE elements which effect the validity of the data returned and if you get them wrong, the data back is going to be just plain rubbish. For example, if you were to join a table of estate agents to houses based on the street number of the house, you might well get a result set out but it would be a complete fantasy, with agent number 12 linked to all people who happen to be selling a house at number 12 in the street. So joining tables MUST be correctly applied and is a RULE element.

By contrast, choosing the data columns you want, the order of sorting, and whether or not you want properties over 200000 pounds to be returned is an OPTIONAL or REQUEST element - although you may not get back want to want if you give your MySQL the wrong request, what you'll get back will be the answer to a question that may be validly asked.

By using a join clause, you're labelling the connection of the tables as being a RULE whereas any where clauses you apply are REQUESTs. This makes automated coding much cleaner, and automation much easier.

If you want to try out this example on your own MySQL server, you can view and save the data and MySQL commands from here
(written 2005-12-01, updated 2006-06-09)

 
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
S157 - More MySQL commands
  [158] MySQL - LEFT JOIN and RIGHT JOIN, INNER JOIN and OUTER JOIN - (2004-12-20)
  [159] MySQL - Optimising Selects - (2004-12-21)
  [279] Getting a list of unique values from a MySQL column - (2005-04-14)
  [449] Matching in MySQL - (2005-09-24)
  [494] MySQL - a score of things to remember - (2005-11-12)
  [502] SELECT in MySQL - choosing the rows you want - (2005-11-22)
  [515] MySQL - an FAQ - (2005-12-03)
  [517] An occasional chance, and reducing data to manageable levels - (2005-12-04)
  [567] Combining similar rows from a MySQL database select - (2006-01-17)
  [572] Giving the researcher power over database analysis - (2006-01-22)
  [581] Saving a MySQL query results to your local disc for Excel - (2006-01-29)
  [591] Key facts - SQL and MySQL - (2006-02-04)
  [673] Helicopter views and tartans - (2006-04-06)
  [1213] MySQL - the order of clauses and the order of actions - (2007-06-01)
  [1235] Outputting numbers as words - MySQL with Perl or PHP - (2007-06-17)
  [1331] MySQL joins revisited - (2007-09-03)
  [1574] Joining MySQL tables revisited - finding nonmatching records, etc - (2008-03-15)
  [1735] Finding words and work boundaries (MySQL, Perl, PHP) - (2008-08-03)
  [1904] Ruby, Perl, Linux, MySQL - some training notes - (2008-11-23)
  [2110] MySQL - looking for records in one table that do NOT correspond to records in another table - (2009-03-31)
  [2259] Grouping rows for a summary report - MySQL and PHP - (2009-06-27)
  [2448] MySQL - efficiency and other topics - (2009-10-10)
  [2643] Relating tables with joins in MySQL - (2010-02-21)
  [2644] Counting rows in joined MySQL tables - (2010-02-22)
  [2645] Optimising and caching your MySQL enquiries - (2010-02-22)
  [2647] Removing duplicates from a MySQL table - (2010-02-22)
  [3061] Databases - why data is split into separate tables, and how to join them - (2010-11-20)
  [3270] SQL - Data v Metadata, and the various stages of data selection - (2011-04-29)
  [4481] Extracting data from backups to restore selected rows from MySQL tables - (2015-05-01)


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This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

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