Question

Error in group by clause ::
I want make records unique in MS sql.here i have used 2-3 tables join and when clause.
it is more difficult to make it distinct by using group by clause it gives error like..

Error :::: Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'GROUP'

---

select * from(
    SELECT TOP 5 m.pk_member_id,m.first_name+' '+m.middle_name+' '+m.last_name as "NAME", 
    m.gender AS "GENDER",
    datediff(Year,m.date_of_birth, getdate()) AS "AGE", 
    m.home_email AS "EMAIL", 
    m.business_phone AS "PHONE1", 
    m.cell_phone AS "PHONE2", 
    m.address+','+m.city+','+m.state+','+m.zip_code AS "ADDRESS", 
    paidamt = 
            CASE WHEN (moi.credit_card_amt!=null or moi.credit_card_amt > 0) THEN moi.credit_card_amt 
                 WHEN (moi.cheque_amt!=null or moi.cheque_amt > 0) THEN moi.cheque_amt 
                 WHEN (moi.debit_card_amt!=null or moi.debit_card_amt > 0) THEN moi.debit_card_amt 
                 WHEN (moi.cash_amt!=null or moi.cash_amt > 0) THEN moi.cash_amt 
            END, 
    mode = 
            CASE WHEN (moi.credit_card_amt!=null or moi.credit_card_amt > 0) THEN 'CREDIT CARD' 
                   WHEN (moi.cheque_amt!=null or moi.cheque_amt > 0) THEN 'CHEQUE' 
                   WHEN (moi.debit_card_amt!=null or moi.debit_card_amt > 0) THEN 'DEBIT CARD' 
                   WHEN (moi.cash_amt!=null or moi.cash_amt > 0) THEN 'CASH' 
            END, 
    m.registration_date as "JOINING DATE", 
    m.membership_expiry_date as "EXPIRY DATE", 
        services = 
                CASE WHEN m.pk_member_id=em.fk_member_id THEN 'EVENT' 
                         WHEN m.pk_member_id=dm.fk_member_id THEN 'DINING' 
                         WHEN m.pk_member_id=jm.fk_member_id THEN 'JF2' 
                END 
        FROM 
        Member m, 
        Member_Official_Info moi, 
        Event_Members em, 
        Dining_Members dm, 
        JF2_Members jm 
        WHERE 
        m.pk_member_id = moi.fk_member_id and 
        (m.pk_member_id = em.fk_member_id or m.pk_member_id = dm.fk_member_id or m.pk_member_id = jm.fk_member_id) and 
        YEAR(m.membership_expiry_date)=2008
        )
        GROUP BY 
        m.pk_member_id,m.first_name,m.middle_name, m.last_name,m.business_phone,m.cell_phone,m.address,m.city,\
        m.state,m.zip_code,m.gender,m.date_of_birth,m.home_email,m.registration_date, 
        m.membership_expiry_date,services,paidamt,mode;

Answer 1

just going into details on some of the issues with this:

change your from clause in the sub query to something like this:

from Member m
    inner join Member_Official_Info moi
        on m.pk_member_id=moi.fk_member_id
    left outer join Event_Members em
        on m.pk_member_id=em.fk_member_id
    left outer join Dining_Members dm
        on m.pk_member_id=em.fk_member_id
    left outer join JF2_Members jm
        on m.pk_member_id=em.fk_member_id

i’m guessing, like everyone else, that this’ll probably remove the need for your group by clause

i’d also change your where clause in the subquery to this:

where m.membership_expiry_date>='1/1/2008'
    and m.membership_expiry_date<'1/1/2009'

Also, i’d change your paidamt and mode code to something like this:

case when coalesce(moi.credit_card_amt,0)>0 then moi.credit_card_amt
    when coalesce(moi.cheque_amt,0)>0 then moi.cheque_amt
    case when coalesce(moi.debit_card_amt,0)>0 then moi.debit_card_amt
    case when coalesce(moi.cash_amt,0)>0 then moi.cash_amt

Also, there’s inconsistancy with your column aliasing. in certain points your using Column Name=, or you’re using as “Column Name”, or even as [Column Name]. This is rather confusing, so i’d pick one way to alias columns and stick with it.

Also, if fixing the joins works and doesn’t require you to do the group by, then move everything out of the subquery cause there’s no need for it