SQL/mysql - Select distinct/UNIQUE but return all columns?

Question

SELECT DISTINCT field1, field2, field3, ......   FROM table

I am trying to accomplish the following sql statement but I want it to return all colum

Answer 1

I would suggest using

SELECT  * from table where field1 in 
(
  select distinct field1 from table
)

this way if you have the same value in field1 across multiple rows, all the records will be returned.

Answer 2

select min(table.id), table.column1
from table 
group by table.column1

Answer 3

SELECT  c2.field1 ,
        field2
FROM    (SELECT DISTINCT
                field1
         FROM   dbo.TABLE AS C
        ) AS c1
        JOIN dbo.TABLE AS c2 ON c1.field1 = c2.field1

Answer 4

You're looking for a group by:

select *
from table
group by field1

Which can occasionally be written with a distinct on statement:

select distinct on field1 *
from table

On most platforms, however, neither of the above will work because the behavior on the other columns is unspecified. (The first works in MySQL, if that's what you're using.)

You could fetch the distinct fields and stick to picking a single arbitrary row each time.

On some platforms (e.g. PostgreSQL, Oracle, T-SQL) this can be done directly using window functions:

select *
from (
   select *,
          row_number() over (partition by field1 order by field2) as row_number
   from table
   ) as rows
where row_number = 1

On others (MySQL, SQLite), you'll need to write subqueries that will make you join the entire table with itself (example), so not recommended.

Answer 5

SELECT * from table where field in (SELECT distinct field from table)

Answer 6

Try

SELECT table.* FROM table 
WHERE otherField = 'otherValue'
GROUP BY table.fieldWantedToBeDistinct
limit x