[SQL] Order of Appearence in Query Results.

[WWGD]

Hi All, I know that if we use Select * , then the fields in the table will appear in the same order as listed. Same if we list all the fields manually, as in Select field1, field2,.., fieldn . Is it true that the order of the fields is preserved always (I can't think of other cases at this point)?
Thanks.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Using SELECT * (which you should try to avoid) will display the fields in the order in which they were created in the table (not the index, if there is one).

 

[WWGD]

Thank; why should I try to avoid Select * ?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Thank; why should I try to avoid Select * ?

Less control and usually much less efficient. Grab only what you will use and name it. When looking through old code it's also easier to understand what you are trying to do.

 

[Fooality]

I can't find a link right now, but remember reading somewhere - I think it was about the Codd Relational Algebra behind relational db's - that you are to think of the column names as a set not an array. In terms of writing code, the database API will almost always give you a way to get content from the db by column name not number, and its generally good form (for readability) to do so.