Re: A query without a sub-query: can we do it?

David Fitzjarrell <oratune_at_aol.com> writes:

> This sounds like homework to me

To me as well.

>
> select lab_id
> from lab
> where user_id = 2
> minus
> select lab_id
> from lab
> where user_id = 9
>
> No formal subquery there.

In which case you can console your guilt by the fact that I suspect the teacher will consider this an incorrect answer. It's oracle specific and it sounded like his question was coming from a theoretic angle and the teacher probably expects a standard SQL response.

Indeed there is a way to do this in standard SQL without a subquery. You might want to read up on outer joins.

-- 
greg