Can I use a single MySQL query to select distinct rows and then non-distinct rows if a limit hasn't
- by Matt Rix
I hope I'm explaining this properly, my knowledge of MySQL is quite limited.
Let's say I have a table with rows that have name and shape fields.
I'd like to select a bunch of rows from a table, but return all of the rows with unique shape field values first. If I have less than a certain number of rows, let's say 7, then I'd like to fill the remaining result rows with non-unique shape rows. The best way I can word it is that they're "ordered by uniqueness, and then by some other value".
So, I don't want:
square, square, circle, circle, rectangle, square, triangle
I'd like to have:
square, circle, rectangle, triangle, square, square, circle
Is this possible to do using a single SQL query? I'm using MySQL with PHP, if that makes any difference.
Thanks!