Question

The following is invalid syntax but it is what I’m trying to say essentially:

  SELECT *  
    FROM categories 
ORDER BY menu_order ASC WHERE parent = '1' || IF parent = '0' ORDER BY id ASC;

Is it possible to order the results of a select query differently based on a conditional within the query?

Just in case I wasn’t clear, I am trying to order the categories with a parent by menu order and those without a parent by id.

EDIT

So here’s how the database looks like:

id | name    | parent | menu_order

==================================

1  | Apparel | 0      | 2
2  | Sports  | 0      | 4
3  | Hats    | 1      | 5
4  | Weights | 1      | 3
5  | Lights  | 0      | 1

The result set of the query should be:

Apparel
Sports
Lights

Weights
Hats

Answer 1

use case in the order by, like this:

SELECT * FROM categories
ORDER BY
CASE WHEN parent = '1'
    THEN menu_order
    ELSE id
END;