Re: random rows

Jie,

> How I can return random N rows from my select stmt?
> like:
> e.g. what my selectee is a set of 1000 rows, I want randomly
> pickup 100 of 1000.

You'd have to do it inside a function or external program, and copy the
rows to a temporary table (which is what you'd return to the user).  
Thus, language-agnostic rules:

CREATE FUNCTION return_random(X)

LOOP X Times

totalrecs = COUNT(*) FROM maintable WHERE NOT EXISTS temptable

offset_count = RANDOM*totalrecs

INSERT INTO temptable ( a, b, c, d )
SELECT a, b, c, d FROM maintable
LIMIT 1 OFFSET offset_count;

END LOOP

END;

than:

SELECT temptable

-Josh

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