DB Lecture 15
DB Lecture 15
DB Lecture 15
Subqueries
Objectives
Subquery
?
“What is Jones’ salary?”
Subqueries
SELECT select_list
FROM table
WHERE expr operator
(SELECT select_list
FROM table);
In the example, the inner query determines the salary of employee 7566. The outer
query takes the result of the inner query and uses this result to display all the
employees who earn more than this amount.
ENAME
----------
KING
FORD
SCOTT
Guidelines for Using
Subqueries
Enclose subqueries in parentheses.
Place subqueries on the right side of the
comparison operator.
Do not add an ORDER BY clause to a
subquery.
Use single-row operators with single-row
subqueries.
Use multiple-row operators with multiple-
row subqueries.
Types of Subqueries
Single-row subquery : Queries that return only one row from the
inner SELECT statement
Main query
returns
Subquery CLERK
• Multiple-row subquery Queries that return more than one row from the inner
SELECT statement
Main query
returnsCLERK
Subquery
MANAGER
• Multiple-column subqueryQueries that return more than one
column from the inner SELECT statement
Main query
returns CLERK 7900
Subquery
MANAGER 7698
Single-Row Subqueries
Return only one row
Use single-row comparison operators
Operator Meaning
= Equal to
ENAME JOB
---------- ---------
JAMES CLERK
SMITH CLERK
ADAMS CLERK
MILLER CLERK
Executing Single-Row Subqueries
The example on the slide displays employees whose
job title is the same as that of employee 7369 and
whose salary is greater than that of employee 7876.
ENAME JOB
---------- ---------
MILLER CLERK
Using Group Functions
in a Subquery
Display the employee name, job title, and salary of all employees
whose salary is equal to the minimum salary.
ERROR:
ORA-01427: single-row subquery returns more than
one row
no rows selected
Errors with Subqueries
One common error with subqueries is more than one row
returned for a single-row subquery.
In the SQL statement on the slide, the subquery contains a
GROUP BY (deptno) clause, which implies that the subquery
will return multiple rows, one for each group it finds. In this
case, the result of the subquery will be 800, 1300, and 950.
The outer query takes the results of the subquery (800, 950,
1300) and uses these results in its WHERE clause. The WHERE
clause contains an equal (=) operator, a single-row comparison
operator expecting only one value. The = operator cannot
accept more than one value from the subquery and hence
generates the error.
To correct this error, change the = operator to IN.
Will This Statement
Work?
SQL> SELECT ename, job
2 FROM emp
3 WHERE job =
4 (SELECT job
5 FROM emp
6 WHERE ename='SMYTHE');
no rows selected
Problems with Subqueries
A common problem with subqueries is no rows being returned by
the inner query.
In the SQL statement on the slide, the subquery contains a WHERE
(ename='SMYTHE') clause. Presumably, the intention is to find the
employee whose name is Smythe. The statement seems to be
correct but selects no rows when executed.
The problem is that Smythe is misspelled. There is no employee
named Smythe. So the subquery returns no rows. The outer query
takes the results of the subquery (null) and uses these results in its
WHERE clause. The outer query finds no employee with a job title
equal to null and so returns no rows.
Multiple-Row Subqueries
Return more than one row
Use multiple-row comparison operators
Operator Meaning