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  4. Does NULL <> 'string'?

Does NULL <> 'string'?

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  • Richard DeemingR Richard Deeming

    It's simple three-valued Boolean logic - what's the problem?! :laugh:

    Chris Maunder wrote:

    IsNull(TableTwo.StringColumn, '') <> 'value'

    Except that's not SARGabale.

    WHERE
    TableTwo.StringColumn Is Null
    Or
    TableTwo.StringColumn != 'value'

    (You can remove TableTwo.TableTwoID Is Null, because if that's true, TableTwo.StringColumn will also be Null.)


    "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

    C Offline
    C Offline
    Chris Maunder
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    Richard Deeming wrote:

    It's simple three-valued Boolean logic

    True, False, and Surprise.

    cheers Chris Maunder

    Richard DeemingR 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • C Chris Maunder

      You'd think so. Except in SQL We had a query:

      Select count(*)
      From TableOne

      which returned, say, 500,000 records. Next we added

      Select count(*)
      From TableOne
      Left Join TableTwo On TableTwo.TableTwoID = TableOne.TableTwoID
      Where TableTwo.TableTwoID is null or TableTwo.StringColumn <> 'value'

      We're trying to find the number of records in TableOne which, when joined with TableTwo, either have no corresponding TableTwo row or the corresponding TableTwo row is not 'value'. TableTwo.StringColumn is nullable. The result? Adding the join resulted in 25K records. It should have been over 490K records. The issue?

      TableTwo.StringColumn <> 'value'

      This comparison returns false if TableTwo.StringColumn is null. So one needs to use

      IsNull(TableTwo.StringColumn, '') <> 'value'

      to get the correct result.

      cheers Chris Maunder

      Richard DeemingR Offline
      Richard DeemingR Offline
      Richard Deeming
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      Chris Maunder wrote:

      We're trying to find the number of records in TableOne which, when joined with TableTwo, either have no corresponding TableTwo row or the corresponding TableTwo row is not 'value'.

      Either I've misunderstood your requirement, or that query isn't technically correct. The query will find the records in TableOne which don't have any corresponding rows in TableTwo, and the records in TableOne which have at least one corresponding record in TableTwo where StringColumn is Null or not equal to 'value'. If there are multiple matching rows in TableTwo, then the rows from TableOne will be repeated. Based on the description, I'd have thought something like this would be a better fit:

      SELECT Count(1)
      FROM TableOne
      WHERE Not Exists
      (
      SELECT 1
      FROM TableTwo
      WHERE TableTwo.TableTwoID = TableOne.TableTwoID
      And TableTwo.StringColumn = 'value'
      )

      That finds all the rows in TableOne which don't have a corresponding row in TableTwo with StringColumn set to 'value'.


      "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

      "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined" - Homer

      J 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • C Chris Maunder

        Richard Deeming wrote:

        It's simple three-valued Boolean logic

        True, False, and Surprise.

        cheers Chris Maunder

        Richard DeemingR Offline
        Richard DeemingR Offline
        Richard Deeming
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        True, False, and FileNotFound. :-D What Is Truth? - The Daily WTF[^]


        "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

        "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined" - Homer

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • C Chris Maunder

          You'd think so. Except in SQL We had a query:

          Select count(*)
          From TableOne

          which returned, say, 500,000 records. Next we added

          Select count(*)
          From TableOne
          Left Join TableTwo On TableTwo.TableTwoID = TableOne.TableTwoID
          Where TableTwo.TableTwoID is null or TableTwo.StringColumn <> 'value'

          We're trying to find the number of records in TableOne which, when joined with TableTwo, either have no corresponding TableTwo row or the corresponding TableTwo row is not 'value'. TableTwo.StringColumn is nullable. The result? Adding the join resulted in 25K records. It should have been over 490K records. The issue?

          TableTwo.StringColumn <> 'value'

          This comparison returns false if TableTwo.StringColumn is null. So one needs to use

          IsNull(TableTwo.StringColumn, '') <> 'value'

          to get the correct result.

          cheers Chris Maunder

          J Offline
          J Offline
          Jeremy Falcon
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          I feel ya man. NULL has always been a special case though. It's the bastard stepchild of values. Isn't technology fun?

          Jeremy Falcon

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • Richard DeemingR Richard Deeming

            Chris Maunder wrote:

            We're trying to find the number of records in TableOne which, when joined with TableTwo, either have no corresponding TableTwo row or the corresponding TableTwo row is not 'value'.

            Either I've misunderstood your requirement, or that query isn't technically correct. The query will find the records in TableOne which don't have any corresponding rows in TableTwo, and the records in TableOne which have at least one corresponding record in TableTwo where StringColumn is Null or not equal to 'value'. If there are multiple matching rows in TableTwo, then the rows from TableOne will be repeated. Based on the description, I'd have thought something like this would be a better fit:

            SELECT Count(1)
            FROM TableOne
            WHERE Not Exists
            (
            SELECT 1
            FROM TableTwo
            WHERE TableTwo.TableTwoID = TableOne.TableTwoID
            And TableTwo.StringColumn = 'value'
            )

            That finds all the rows in TableOne which don't have a corresponding row in TableTwo with StringColumn set to 'value'.


            "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

            J Offline
            J Offline
            Jeremy Falcon
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            I think this version reads cleaner (and without the quirks), but I'd be willing to bet the non-sub select version would run quicker.

            Jeremy Falcon

            T J 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • J Jeremy Falcon

              I think this version reads cleaner (and without the quirks), but I'd be willing to bet the non-sub select version would run quicker.

              Jeremy Falcon

              T Offline
              T Offline
              TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              Jeremy Falcon wrote:

              would run quicker

              Indeed.

              #SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • C Chris Maunder

                You'd think so. Except in SQL We had a query:

                Select count(*)
                From TableOne

                which returned, say, 500,000 records. Next we added

                Select count(*)
                From TableOne
                Left Join TableTwo On TableTwo.TableTwoID = TableOne.TableTwoID
                Where TableTwo.TableTwoID is null or TableTwo.StringColumn <> 'value'

                We're trying to find the number of records in TableOne which, when joined with TableTwo, either have no corresponding TableTwo row or the corresponding TableTwo row is not 'value'. TableTwo.StringColumn is nullable. The result? Adding the join resulted in 25K records. It should have been over 490K records. The issue?

                TableTwo.StringColumn <> 'value'

                This comparison returns false if TableTwo.StringColumn is null. So one needs to use

                IsNull(TableTwo.StringColumn, '') <> 'value'

                to get the correct result.

                cheers Chris Maunder

                T Offline
                T Offline
                TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                This proves SQL is not a real programming language.

                #SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

                C 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • T TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

                  This proves SQL is not a real programming language.

                  #SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

                  C Offline
                  C Offline
                  Chris Maunder
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  Au contraire. It's the perfect language. Job security forever.

                  cheers Chris Maunder

                  T E 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • C Chris Maunder

                    Au contraire. It's the perfect language. Job security forever.

                    cheers Chris Maunder

                    T Offline
                    T Offline
                    TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    LOL. Especially when you have your own company! ;P

                    #SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • C Chris Maunder

                      Au contraire. It's the perfect language. Job security forever.

                      cheers Chris Maunder

                      E Offline
                      E Offline
                      Erick Mattew
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      Quote:

                      Job security forever

                      Indeed. Writing script, backup,... It's boring but secure.

                      J 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • E Erick Mattew

                        Quote:

                        Job security forever

                        Indeed. Writing script, backup,... It's boring but secure.

                        J Offline
                        J Offline
                        Jeremy Falcon
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #15

                        So is prostitution... but ya know... :~

                        Jeremy Falcon

                        J J 2 Replies Last reply
                        0
                        • J Jeremy Falcon

                          I think this version reads cleaner (and without the quirks), but I'd be willing to bet the non-sub select version would run quicker.

                          Jeremy Falcon

                          J Offline
                          J Offline
                          Jorgen Andersson
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #16

                          Assuming SQL Server, I'll take that bet. NOT IN vs. NOT EXISTS vs. LEFT JOIN / IS NULL: SQL Server at EXPLAIN EXTENDED[^] Left outer join vs NOT EXISTS | SQL in the Wild[^] There are always exceptions, but not exists is generally better optimized.

                          Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • C Chris Maunder

                            Null most certainly does not equal a valid string value, right? I never realised SQL could be so Javaesque ;)

                            cheers Chris Maunder

                            OriginalGriffO Offline
                            OriginalGriffO Offline
                            OriginalGriff
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #17

                            It gets Dali-esque as well from time to time...

                            Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                            "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                            "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                            N 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • J Jeremy Falcon

                              So is prostitution... but ya know... :~

                              Jeremy Falcon

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              Jorgen Andersson
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #18

                              Boring?

                              Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                              J T 2 Replies Last reply
                              0
                              • J Jorgen Andersson

                                Boring?

                                Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                                J Offline
                                J Offline
                                Jeremy Falcon
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #19

                                Some are... so I'm told. :rolleyes:

                                Jeremy Falcon

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • J Jorgen Andersson

                                  Boring?

                                  Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                                  T Offline
                                  T Offline
                                  TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #20

                                  They don't all "enjoy" it. It's a job. Indeed, prostitutes go same-sex for their personal one-on-ones because opposite-sex has lost all appeal due to the "job".

                                  #SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • J Jeremy Falcon

                                    So is prostitution... but ya know... :~

                                    Jeremy Falcon

                                    J Offline
                                    J Offline
                                    Jagger B
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #21

                                    Sorry, You failed the interview. He'll call you next time. :|

                                    J 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • J Jagger B

                                      Sorry, You failed the interview. He'll call you next time. :|

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      Jeremy Falcon
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #22

                                      So wait, you're saying I can't be a prostitute? Why? Because I'm a guy? That's discrimination.

                                      Jeremy Falcon

                                      J 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • J Jeremy Falcon

                                        So wait, you're saying I can't be a prostitute? Why? Because I'm a guy? That's discrimination.

                                        Jeremy Falcon

                                        J Offline
                                        J Offline
                                        Jagger B
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #23

                                        Are you saying, Sql Dev's = prostitute?

                                        J 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • J Jagger B

                                          Are you saying, Sql Dev's = prostitute?

                                          J Offline
                                          J Offline
                                          Jeremy Falcon
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #24

                                          Yes. Everyone knows you have go through prostitute training to get certified. You just finding this out? You may wanna talk to your MS rep.

                                          Jeremy Falcon

                                          N 1 Reply Last reply
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