Question

I wrote out this Mysql query, but return a lot of blank fields for the customers_telephone table
since it was never a required field. I would like to return some dummy data on my
query (without inserting it into the database) if the field is NULL. I know MySQL
uses if clauses but I think it’s only for creating databases or … ?

here’s my stamp

SELECT orders.orders_id AS recipient_id, delivery_company, delivery_street_address, delivery_city, delivery_postcode, delivery_state, delivery_country, customers_telephone
FROM orders, orders_products
WHERE orders.orders_id = orders_products.orders_id
AND products_id = 416
ORDER BY `orders`.`orders_id` DESC

UPDATE

I tried doing this, but it still is not working, maybe I did it in the wrong place?

SELECT orders.orders_id AS recipient_id, delivery_company, delivery_street_address, delivery_city,  delivery_postcode, delivery_state, delivery_country, IFNULL(customers_telephone, 'no number') AS customers_number
FROM orders, orders_products
WHERE orders.orders_id = orders_products.orders_id
AND products_id = 416
ORDER BY `orders`.`orders_id` DESC

Returns

recipient_id    delivery_company    delivery_street_address     delivery_city       delivery_postcode   delivery_state  delivery_country    number
191743          This Chick Bakes    31-31 48th Ave #B           Long Island City    11101               NY              United States       917.848.6437
191724                              44 Miraflores Ave (studio)  San Rafael          94901               CA              United States    
191723                              397 South River Street      Wilkes-Barre        18702               PA              United States    

Answer 1

Use the IFNULL function to provide a value if the field is NULL:

IFNULL(customers_telephone, 'dummydata') AS customers_telephone

IFNULL is a non-standard MySQL extension. The standard way is to use the COALESCE function for this purpose. COALESCE is also supported by MySQL, but it is slightly slower than IFNULL, though it probably won’t matter here.