Ok, I used your approach like this: -------------------------------------------------------------- select i.scanned_barcode, v.title from inventory as i left join version as v on i.record_id = v.id where i.database_id = '1' AND i.table_id = '1' AND i.user_id = '33' and category_id = '766')
UNION (select i.scanned_barcode, v.title from inventory as i left join amg.dvd as v on i.record_id = v.id where i.database_id = '2' AND i.table_id = '3' AND i.user_id = '33' and category_id = '766') order by title DESC -------------------------------------------------------------- It "works" like you're suggesting. I have to add a union for every one of the tables data is being stored in. That means I end up selecting something from every product table, regardless of whether the user actually has something in there or not. Improving on this idea would be finding a way to just query the relevant tables... some sort of conditional union. Any ideas? -Ed > -----Original Message----- > From: Octavian Rasnita [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 1:02 PM > To: Ed Lazor; mysql@lists.mysql.com > Subject: Re: select statement with variable for table_reference? > > I am using the following method for doing this, but I am sure it is not > the > best one: > > (select id, title, author, 'book' as type from books) > union > (select id, title, author, 'cd' as type from cds) > union > (select id, title, author, 'dvd' as type from dvds) > where ... > order by ... > limit ...; > > Octavian -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe: http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
