I am using the following to grab a distinct list of descriptions from a table:

Select Distinct Description From TableName

The Descriptions are in a certain order in the database and I'd like to show them in that same order. Problem is that when you run the above query the first distinct description is actually the 37th. How do I maintain the order?

ORDER BY what_ever_column_defines_the_order_you_want

Yes but that orders it alphabetically, I want it ordered by the way it is in the table. (I have a way to get this to work but I'd have to modify the table, which I'd prefer not to do)

sorry I responded without completely reading your answer, yes you are right but I think I'll have to add a column.

mysql> select * from products;

+---------+-------------+-----------+------+
| prod_id | prod_source | prod_type | flag |
+---------+-------------+-----------+------+
| 1 | USA | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | USA | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | USA | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | USA | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | USA | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | BRA | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | BRA | 2 | 1 |
+---------+-------------+-----------+------+


Required resulset
==================
+-----------+----------+
| prod_type | count(*) |
+-----------+----------+
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 0 |
| 4 | 0 |
+-----------+----------+


where condition
prod_source = USA
flag=0


but the resultset i'm getting is

+-----------+----------+
| prod_type | count(*) |
+-----------+----------+
| 2 | 3 |
+-----------+----------+


with the query SELECT prod_type ,count(*)
FROM products
WHERE prod_source='USA' and flag=0
GROUP by prod_type
ORDER by prod_type;


HOW do i get the resulset with count of all the prod_type's in USA ? It must display all the prod_type's in USA even if the count is 0 .






TABLE DEFINITION
===================

CREATE TABLE `products` (
`prod_id` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
`prod_source` VARCHAR(45) NOT NULL,
`prod_type` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
`flag` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`prod_id`)
)
ENGINE = InnoDB;


DATA INSERTION
===============

INSERT INTO `products` VALUES (1,'USA',2,0),(2,'USA',2,0),(3,'USA',2,0),(4,'USA' ,3,1),(5,'USA',4,1),(6,'BRA',1,1),(7,'BRA',2,1);

http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?134...959#msg-380959