T-SQL find unique records

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T-SQL find unique records

durga.palepu

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Points: 3530
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June 11, 2016 at 1:51 pm

#319381

Dear friends,
I have another problem to discuss with you.
Find unique rows from below logistics table, assumption: hyd to bang and bang to hyd as one record etc.
From To Distance
hyd banglore 550
hyd vizag 550
banglorehyd 550
hyd pune 650
I have implemented a cursor solution but the interviewer is looking for single query using JOINs or other concept.
Please do the needful.

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Eddie Wuerch SSChampion Points: 12535 More actions · Answer 1

If this is an interview, then 'the needful' means "admit you don't know".

Eddie Wuerch
MCM: SQL

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736494 More actions · Answer 2

How would you solve this on paper? If you explain what you'd do, or make an attempt, we are happy to help. However, as Eddie noted, we aren't looking to do work for you.

durga.palepu Hall of Fame Points: 3530 More actions · Answer 3

Hi all,

Yes, its an interview question.

As already mentioned in my post, I have implemented the solution using Cursors but the interviewer looking for solution using single SQL query which I don't know.

Please help.

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 4

Eddie Wuerch (6/11/2016)
If this is an interview, then 'the needful' means "admit you don't know".

It's a curious expression isn't it. Never used in US or UK English, it seems to be specific for parts of India.

durga.palepu (6/13/2016)
Hi all,
Yes, its an interview question.
As already mentioned in my post, I have implemented the solution using Cursors but the interviewer looking for solution using single SQL query which I don't know.
Please help.

There are numerous ways of performing this in a set-based manner. I can think of four while reading the question. Most of them depend on conditionally swapping the [from] and [to] columns so that [from] is less than [to] (or vice versa) thus allowing the use of either ROW_NUMBER or an aggregate. I think you could even incorporate the conditional swap into ROW_NUMBER.

Here’s something to get you started:

ROP TABLE #Logistics

;WITH Logistics ([From], [To], Distance) AS (

SELECT 'hyd', 'banglore', 550 UNION ALL

SELECT 'hyd', 'vizag', 550 UNION ALL

SELECT 'banglore', 'hyd', 550 UNION ALL

SELECT 'hyd', 'pune', 650)

SELECT * INTO #Logistics FROM Logistics

SELECT

[From] = CASE WHEN [From] < [To] THEN [From] ELSE [To] END,

[To] = CASE WHEN [To] > [From] THEN [To] ELSE [From] END,

Distance

FROM #Logistics

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

durga.palepu Hall of Fame Points: 3530 More actions · Answer 5

Thanks for the quick response!!

However this solution is not serving the purpose.

meanwhile I have tried and my solution is as followed, the problem with solution is unique record(s) from duplicate records are missing.

select l1.c_From, l1.c_To, l1.c_Distance

from #logistics l1

where not exists

( select 1

from #logistics l2 where l2.c_From = l1.c_To and l2.c_To = l1.c_From);

Result:

c_Fromc_To c_Distance

hyd vizag 550

hyd pune 650

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 6

durga.palepu (6/13/2016)
Thanks for the quick response!!
However this solution is not serving the purpose.
meanwhile I have tried and my solution is as followed, the problem with solution is unique record(s) from duplicate records are missing.
select l1.c_From, l1.c_To, l1.c_Distance
from #logistics l1
where not exists
( select 1
from #logistics l2 where l2.c_From = l1.c_To and l2.c_To = l1.c_From);
Result:
c_Fromc_To c_Distance
hyd vizag 550
hyd pune 650

The code I posted isn't a full solution: "Here’s something to get you started". Converting it into a solution is a trivial matter. Your proposed solution completely ignores all of the hints I gave you. All of the information you need to create a working solution is there. Have another look at my code and the output and imagine what effects you might observe if you were to incorporate either ROW_NUMBER or GROUP BY into the query.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

durga.palepu Hall of Fame Points: 3530 More actions · Answer 7

Thanks, that's awesome solution.

Your approach to provide hints so that I would work on actual solution is excellent so that I could learn my self.

Here follow's my solution implementations:

using GROUP BY:

SELECT

CASE WHEN c_From < c_To then c_From else c_To end as c_from

,CASE WHEN c_to > c_From then c_to else c_from end as c_to

,c_Distance

FROM #logistics

GROUP BY CASE WHEN c_From < c_to then c_from else c_to end

, CASE WHEN c_to > c_from then c_to else c_from end

, c_distance;

using ROW_NUMBER():

with ctelogistics

as

(

select c_from,c_to,c_Distance, ROW_NUMBER() over(partition by CASE WHEN c_From < c_To then c_From else c_To end

,CASE WHEN c_to > c_From then c_to else c_from end order by c_from) as rn

from #logistics

)

select c_From,c_to,c_Distance

from ctelogistics

where rn=1;

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 8

That's the ticket! Nice job.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

durga.palepu Hall of Fame Points: 3530 More actions · Answer 9

durga.palepu

Hall of Fame

Points: 3530

June 13, 2016 at 7:17 am

#1884639

Thank you!!

Alan Burstein SSC Guru Points: 61141 More actions · Answer 10

durga.palepu (6/13/2016)
Thanks, that's awesome solution.
Your approach to provide hints so that I would work on actual solution is excellent so that I could learn my self.
Here follow's my solution implementations:
using GROUP BY:
SELECT
CASE WHEN c_From < c_To then c_From else c_To end as c_from
,CASE WHEN c_to > c_From then c_to else c_from end as c_to
,c_Distance
FROM #logistics
GROUP BY CASE WHEN c_From < c_to then c_from else c_to end
, CASE WHEN c_to > c_from then c_to else c_from end
, c_distance;
using ROW_NUMBER():
with ctelogistics
as
(
select c_from,c_to,c_Distance, ROW_NUMBER() over(partition by CASE WHEN c_From < c_To then c_From else c_To end
,CASE WHEN c_to > c_From then c_to else c_from end order by c_from) as rn
from #logistics
)
select c_From,c_to,c_Distance
from ctelogistics
where rn=1;

Another way:

SELECT [From], [To], Distance

FROM

(

SELECT

[From] = CASE WHEN [From] < [To] THEN [From] ELSE [To] END,

[To] = CASE WHEN [To] > [From] THEN [To] ELSE [From] END,

Distance

FROM #Logistics

) x

GROUP BY [From], [To], Distance;

"I cant stress enough the importance of switching from a sequential files mindset to set-based thinking. After you make the switch, you can spend your time tuning and optimizing your queries instead of maintaining lengthy, poor-performing code."

-- Itzik Ben-Gan 2001