Combine two tables that have no common fields - sql-server

Question

I want to learn how to combine two db tables which have no fields in common. I've checked UNION but MSDN says :
The following are basic rules for combining the result sets of two queries by using UNION:
The number and the order of the columns must be the same in all queries.
The data types must be compatible.
But I have no fields in common at all. All I want is to combine them in one table like a view.
So what should I do?

Answer 1

There are a number of ways to do this, depending on what you really want. With no common columns, you need to decide whether you want to introduce a common column or get the product.
Let's say you have the two tables:
parts: custs:
+----+----------+ +-----+------+
| id | desc | | id | name |
+----+----------+ +-----+------+
| 1 | Sprocket | | 100 | Bob |
| 2 | Flange | | 101 | Paul |
+----+----------+ +-----+------+
Forget the actual columns since you'd most likely have a customer/order/part relationship in this case; I've just used those columns to illustrate the ways to do it.
A cartesian product will match every row in the first table with every row in the second:
> select * from parts, custs;
id desc id name
-- ---- --- ----
1 Sprocket 101 Bob
1 Sprocket 102 Paul
2 Flange 101 Bob
2 Flange 102 Paul
That's probably not what you want since 1000 parts and 100 customers would result in 100,000 rows with lots of duplicated information.
Alternatively, you can use a union to just output the data, though not side-by-side (you'll need to make sure column types are compatible between the two selects, either by making the table columns compatible or coercing them in the select):
> select id as pid, desc, null as cid, null as name from parts
union
select null as pid, null as desc, id as cid, name from custs;
pid desc cid name
--- ---- --- ----
101 Bob
102 Paul
1 Sprocket
2 Flange
In some databases, you can use a rowid/rownum column or pseudo-column to match records side-by-side, such as:
id desc id name
-- ---- --- ----
1 Sprocket 101 Bob
2 Flange 101 Bob
The code would be something like:
select a.id, a.desc, b.id, b.name
from parts a, custs b
where a.rownum = b.rownum;
It's still like a cartesian product but the where clause limits how the rows are combined to form the results (so not a cartesian product at all, really).
I haven't tested that SQL for this since it's one of the limitations of my DBMS of choice, and rightly so, I don't believe it's ever needed in a properly thought-out schema. Since SQL doesn't guarantee the order in which it produces data, the matching can change every time you do the query unless you have a specific relationship or order by clause.
I think the ideal thing to do would be to add a column to both tables specifying what the relationship is. If there's no real relationship, then you probably have no business in trying to put them side-by-side with SQL.
If you just want them displayed side-by-side in a report or on a web page (two examples), the right tool to do that is whatever generates your report or web page, coupled with two independent SQL queries to get the two unrelated tables. For example, a two-column grid in BIRT (or Crystal or Jasper) each with a separate data table, or a HTML two column table (or CSS) each with a separate data table.

Answer 2

This is a very strange request, and almost certainly something you'd never want to do in a real-world application, but from a purely academic standpoint it's an interesting challenge. With SQL Server 2005 you could use common table expressions and the row_number() functions and join on that:
with OrderedFoos as (
select row_number() over (order by FooName) RowNum, *
from Foos (nolock)
),
OrderedBars as (
select row_number() over (order by BarName) RowNum, *
from Bars (nolock)
)
select *
from OrderedFoos f
full outer join OrderedBars u on u.RowNum = f.RowNum
This works, but it's supremely silly and I offer it only as a "community wiki" answer because I really wouldn't recommend it.

Answer 3

SELECT *
FROM table1, table2
This will join every row in table1 with table2 (the Cartesian product) returning all columns.

Answer 4

select
status_id,
status,
null as path,
null as Description
from
zmw_t_status
union
select
null,
null,
path as cid,
Description from zmw_t_path;

Answer 5

try:
select * from table 1 left join table2 as t on 1 = 1;
This will bring all the columns from both the table.

Answer 6

If the tables have no common fields then there is no way to combine the data in any meaningful view. You would more likely end up with a view that contains duplicated data from both tables.

Answer 7

To get a meaningful/useful view of the two tables, you normally need to determine an identifying field from each table that can then be used in the ON clause in a JOIN.
THen in your view:
SELECT T1.*, T2.* FROM T1 JOIN T2 ON T1.IDFIELD1 = T2.IDFIELD2
You mention no fields are "common", but although the identifying fields may not have the same name or even be the same data type, you could use the convert / cast functions to join them in some way.

Answer 8

why don't you use simple approach
SELECT distinct *
FROM
SUPPLIER full join
CUSTOMER on (
CUSTOMER.OID = SUPPLIER.OID
)
It gives you all columns from both tables and returns all records from customer and supplier if Customer has 3 records and supplier has 2 then supplier'll show NULL in all columns

Answer 9

Select
DISTINCT t1.col,t2col
From table1 t1, table2 t2
OR
Select
DISTINCT t1.col,t2col
From table1 t1
cross JOIN table2 t2
if its hug data , its take long time ..

Answer 10

SELECT t1.col table1col, t2.col table2col
FROM table1 t1
JOIN table2 t2 on t1.table1Id = x and t2.table2Id = y

Answer 11

Joining Non-Related Tables
Demo SQL Script
IF OBJECT_ID('Tempdb..#T1') IS NOT NULL DROP TABLE #T1;
CREATE TABLE #T1 (T1_Name VARCHAR(75));
INSERT INTO #T1 (T1_Name) VALUES ('Animal'),('Bat'),('Cat'),('Duet');
SELECT * FROM #T1;
IF OBJECT_ID('Tempdb..#T2') IS NOT NULL DROP TABLE #T2;
CREATE TABLE #T2 (T2_Class VARCHAR(10));
INSERT INTO #T2 (T2_Class) VALUES ('Z'),('T'),('H');
SELECT * FROM #T2;
To Join Non-Related Tables , we are going to introduce one common joining column of Serial Numbers like below.
SQL Script
SELECT T1.T1_Name,ISNULL(T2.T2_Class,'') AS T2_Class FROM
( SELECT T1_Name,ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY (SELECT NULL)) AS S_NO FROM #T1) T1
LEFT JOIN
( SELECT T2_Class,ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY (SELECT NULL)) AS S_NO FROM #T2) T2
ON t1.S_NO=T2.S_NO;

Answer 12

select * from this_table;
select distinct person from this_table
union select address as location from that_table
drop wrong_table from this_database;

Answer 13

Very hard when you have to do this with three select statments
I tried all proposed techniques up there but it's in-vain
Please see below script. please advice if you have alternative solution
select distinct x.best_Achiver_ever,y.Today_best_Achiver ,z.Most_Violator from
(SELECT Top(4) ROW_NUMBER() over (order by tl.username) AS conj, tl.
[username] + '-->' + str(count(*)) as best_Achiver_ever
FROM[TiketFollowup].[dbo].N_FCR_Tikect_Log_Archive tl
group by tl.username
order by count(*) desc) x
left outer join
(SELECT
Top(4) ROW_NUMBER() over (order by tl.username) as conj, tl.[username] + '-->' + str(count(*)) as Today_best_Achiver
FROM[TiketFollowup].[dbo].[N_FCR_Tikect_Log] tl
where convert(date, tl.stamp, 121) = convert(date,GETDATE(),121)
group by tl.username
order by count(*) desc) y
on x.conj=y.conj
left outer join
(
select ROW_NUMBER() over (order by count(*)) as conj,username+ '--> ' + str( count(dbo.IsViolated(stamp))) as Most_Violator from N_FCR_Ticket
where dbo.IsViolated(stamp) = 'violated' and convert(date,stamp, 121) < convert(date,GETDATE(),121)
group by username
order by count(*) desc) z
on x.conj = z.conj

Answer 14

Please try this query:
Combine two tables that have no common columns:
SELECT *
FROM table1
UNION
SELECT *
FROM table2
ORDER BY orderby ASC