Retrieving Information from a Table › Eliminating Duplicate Data

Eliminating Duplicate Data

Use DISTINCT

A table can have one or more columns with duplicate data entries. For example, the JOBLIST table lists COMPUTER OPERATOR three times because three employees have that title. To retrieve unique, rather than duplicate, values in a column, use the keyword DISTINCT in the SELECT statement.

Example

List unique job titles in the company:

select distinct title from joblist ! display

                                 JOBLIST REPORT
                                    mm/dd/yy

                                     TITLE
                              ────────────────────
                              ACCOUNTANT
                              AP CLERK
                              AR CLERK
                              COMPUTER OPERATOR
                              CUMULUS CARETAKER
                              DATA ENTRY CLERK
                              DATABASE ADMIN.
                              DIR CORP CONFUSION
                              DIR OPERATIONS
                              DIR WEATHER
                              DOCUMENTATION SPEC
                              FINANCIAL ANALYST
                              HUMIDITY CONTROL CLK
                              ILLUSTRATOR

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