Question

How can I join multiple rows in just one single row through mysql?

Example :

Student Table

Sno.| Name  |  Subjects
1.  | ABC   |  English
2.  | ABC   |  Mathematics
3.  | ABC   |  Science
4.  | FMC |  French
5.  | ABC   |  Russian
6.  | JBC   |  French

Now I want it in this format

Sno.| Name |   Sub1 |  Sub2 | Sub3 |  Sub4 |
1.  | ABC |   Eng  |  Maths| Science| Russian
2.  | FMC |    French| Null| Null   | Null
3.  | JBC |   French| Null | Null   | Null

I am not sure how to actually do it? And shall I create a view or a table?

I guess a view will be fine.

Answer 1

I agree with the other answers, that GROUP_CONCAT along with PHP to split the comma separated values is probably the best approach, however if for any other reason you needed the output you suggested via Pure SQL I would suggest one of the following appoaches.

1. Self Joins

SELECT  t1.Name, 
        MIN(t1.Subject) AS Sub1,
        MIN(t2.Subject) AS Sub2,
        MIN(t3.Subject) AS Sub3,
        MIN(t4.Subject) AS Sub4
FROM    Students t1
        LEFT JOIN Students T2 
            ON t1.Name = t2.Name 
            AND t2.Subject > t1.Subject
        LEFT JOIN Students T3 
            ON t2.Name = t3.Name 
            AND t3.Subject > t2.Subject
        LEFT JOIN Students T4 
            ON t3.Name = t4.Name 
            AND t4.Subject > t3.Subject
GROUP BY t1.Name;

2. Using a ROW_NUMBER Type function to aggregate

SELECT   Name,
         MAX(IF(RowNum = 1,Subject, NULL)) AS Sub1,
         MAX(IF(RowNum = 2,Subject, NULL)) AS Sub2,
         MAX(IF(RowNum = 3,Subject, NULL)) AS Sub3,
         MAX(IF(RowNum = 4,Subject, NULL)) AS Sub4
FROM     (    SELECT   Name,
                       Subject,
                       @r:= IF(@Name = Name, @r + 1, 1) AS RowNum,
                       @Name:= Name AS Name2
              FROM    Students,
                      (SELECT @Name:='') n,
                      (SELECT @r:= 0) r
              ORDER BY Name, Sno
          ) t
GROUP BY Name