Can we write a SELECT query without using the keyword FROM

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Can we write a SELECT query without using the keyword FROM

Minnesota - Viking

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May 21, 2010 at 12:15 pm

#222842

I got this as a interview question, Can you please tell me if we can write a working
SELECT statement without FROM keyword.
Can you give me an example?
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Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday:-)[/font]

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Bru Medishetty SSC-Insane Points: 23606 More actions · Answer 1

SELECT @@VERSION

AND

SELECT 'HELLO WORLD'

These are the kinds of statements that are on top of my head...

Bru Medishetty

Blog -- LearnSQLWithBru

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Minnesota - Viking Hall of Fame Points: 3469 More actions · Answer 2

Thank You, I got my answer.

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Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday:-)[/font]

Bru Medishetty SSC-Insane Points: 23606 More actions · Answer 3

Z@f (5/21/2010)
Thank You, I got my answer.

You are Welcome 🙂

Bru Medishetty

Blog -- LearnSQLWithBru

Join on Facebook Page Facebook.comLearnSQLWithBru

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Garadin One Orange Chip Points: 29613 More actions · Answer 4

You can turn use this to turn SQL into the most expensive calculator ever 😀

SELECT 5000/34.2

Seth Phelabaum

Consistency is only a virtue if you're not a screwup. 😉

Links: How to Post Sample Data[/url] :: Running Totals[/url] :: Tally Table[/url] :: Cross Tabs/Pivots[/url] :: String Concatenation[/url]

Rob Schripsema SSCertifiable Points: 7469 More actions · Answer 5

SELECT also serves as a synonym for SET.

declare @a int

select @a = 5

print @a

Rob Schripsema
Propack, Inc.

Eugene Elutin SSC Guru Points: 59322 More actions · Answer 6

The best use of SELECT without FROM

IS DRAWING PICTURES

(switch to text output before execution):

select '0000^===========\0000' as [picture]

union select '000/^\__________\\000'

union select '00//0\\__________\\00'

union select '0//000\\__________\\0'

union select '//00000\\__________\\'

union select '====================='

union select '|0000000000000000000|'

union select '|0====00000========0|'

union select '|0!--!00000! |) (!0|'

union select '|0!)(!00000! | !0|'

union select '|0!__!00000!______!0|'

union select '====================='

:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D

_____________________________________________
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing"
"O skol'ko nam otkrytiy chudnyh prevnosit microsofta duh!":-D
(So many miracle inventions provided by MS to us...)

How to post your question to get the best and quick help[/url]

Rob Schripsema SSCertifiable Points: 7469 More actions · Answer 7

elutin (5/21/2010)
The best use of SELECT without FROM
IS DRAWING PICTURES
(switch to text output before execution):
select '0000^===========\0000' as [picture]
union select '000/^\__________\\000'
union select '00//0\\__________\\00'
union select '0//000\\__________\\0'
union select '//00000\\__________\\'
union select '====================='
union select '|0000000000000000000|'
union select '|0====00000========0|'
union select '|0!--!00000! |) (!0|'
union select '|0!)(!00000! | !0|'
union select '|0!__!00000!______!0|'
union select '====================='
union select '====================='
:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D

Ah -- but did you realize that you need to use "UNION ALL" instead of just "UNION" statements here -- otherwise, SQL will sort each selected "row" in order to weed out duplicates, and the picture gets output all wierd. (Try it!). UNION ALL doesn't check for duplicates, so it comes out right.

Otherwise--very cute. Didn't know techies could also be artists!

Rob Schripsema
Propack, Inc.

Minnesota - Viking Hall of Fame Points: 3469 More actions · Answer 8

When you said the most expensive calculator. I have a question.

When we need to do some complex arithmetic in SQL Server .. while processing and filtering out the

data ? what alternatives we have ?

Can we just go n keep ona dding stuff like

SELECT Name, Age, ID

FROM Employees

WHERE ((('BasicSalary'+'TaxesRefunded')/2456)+765) <= 567

?????

[font="Verdana"]
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday:-)[/font]

Minnesota - Viking Hall of Fame Points: 3469 More actions · Answer 9

@@ Garadin

When you said the most expensive calculator. I have a question.

When we need to do some complex arithmetic in SQL Server .. while processing and filtering out the

data ? what alternatives we have ?

Can we just go n keep ona dding stuff like

SELECT Name, Age, ID

FROM Employees

WHERE ((('BasicSalary'+'TaxesRefunded')/2456)+765) <= 567

?????

[font="Verdana"]
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday:-)[/font]

Garadin One Orange Chip Points: 29613 More actions · Answer 10

Yeah, doing things like that is no problem.

Seth Phelabaum

Consistency is only a virtue if you're not a screwup. 😉

Links: How to Post Sample Data[/url] :: Running Totals[/url] :: Tally Table[/url] :: Cross Tabs/Pivots[/url] :: String Concatenation[/url]

Eugene Elutin SSC Guru Points: 59322 More actions · Answer 11

Ah -- but did you realize that you need to use "UNION ALL" instead of just "UNION" statements here -- otherwise, SQL will sort each selected "row" in order to weed out duplicates, and the picture gets output all wierd. (Try it!). UNION ALL doesn't check for duplicates, so it comes out right.

:w00t::w00t::w00t::w00t::w00t:

Hey man, you are trying to dictate artist how to draw? That what government did and does in some contries (USSR, China, North Korea etc.). There is a democracy here! You don't like wierd pictures? What about Monet, Malevich, Paul Gauguin and man many others? Impressionism, Primitivism, Cubism or Abstraction?

I believe you would tell Malevich to use a ruller to draw his Black Square, otherwise it looks a bit uneven...

:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P

_____________________________________________
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing"
"O skol'ko nam otkrytiy chudnyh prevnosit microsofta duh!":-D
(So many miracle inventions provided by MS to us...)

How to post your question to get the best and quick help[/url]

Rob Schripsema SSCertifiable Points: 7469 More actions · Answer 12

elutin (5/22/2010)
Hey man, you are trying to dictate artist how to draw? That what government did and does in some contries (USSR, China, North Korea etc.). There is a democracy here! You don't like wierd pictures? What about Monet, Malevich, Paul Gauguin and man many others? Impressionism, Primitivism, Cubism or Abstraction?
I believe you would tell Malevich to use a ruller to draw his Black Square, otherwise it looks a bit uneven...
:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P:-P

We are Borg [aka SQL]. Resistance is Futile. You WILL be assimilated....

Rob Schripsema
Propack, Inc.

Paul White SSC Guru Points: 150467 More actions · Answer 13

My favourite SELECT without a FROM clause (sadly this does not draw pictures):

SELECT 'penguins'

WHERE 1 = 2

HAVING 0 < 1;

Paul White
SQLPerformance.com
SQLkiwi blog
@SQL_Kiwi