Re: Getting a random set of records from a table?

Douglas Scott wrote:
>
> One of my users has a requirement to report on a random set of parts
> from our inventory database every month (need about 40 records) to
> satisfy an audit. This is a government audit requirement (its anybodys
> guess why they want this). Does anyone know an easy way to get a random
> set of records from a table?
>
> Douglas Scott
> dsscott_at_ev1.net

There is the SAMPLE command in 8i.

before this, you can do it with

select *
from ( select rownum therow, p.* from table p) x where x.therow = LLL
and rownum < no_of_rows_in_sample

where LLL is a suitable random number generator

It won't humm along though...

-- 
===========================================
Connor McDonald
"These views mine, no-one elses etc etc"
connor_mcdonald_at_yahoo.com

"Some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue."