What is Common Table Expressions?

- Common table expression (CTE) are temporary result set that are known only within the scope of a single SELECT INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE or CREATE VIEW statement. - Common table expressions are generally useful in a query that involves multiple aggregate functions. Using Common Table Expression - The common table expressions are defined using the WITH clause. Example 1: WITH CountEmployees (dept_id, n) AS ( SELECT dept_id, n) AS ( SELECT dept_id, count (*) AS n FROM employee GROUP BY dept_id ) SELECT dept_id, n FROM CountEmployees WHERE n = ( SELECT max(n) FROM CountEmployees ) Example 2: WITH CountEmployees (dept_id, n) AS ( SELECT dept_id count (*) AS n FROM employee GROUP BY dept_id ) SELECT a.dept_id, a.n, b.dept_id, b.n FROM CountEmployees AS a JOIN CountEmployees AS b ON a.n = b.n AND a.dept_id b.dept_id Example 3: WITH CountEmployees (dept_id, n) AS ( SELECT dept_id, count (*) AS n FROM employee GROUP BY dept_id ), DeptPayroll ( dept_id, amt ) AS ( SELECT dept_id, sum(salary) AS amt FROM employee GROUP BY dept_id ) SELECT count.dept_id, count.n, pay.amt

FROM CountEmployees AS count JOIN DeptPayroll AS pay ON count.dept_id = pay.dept_id WHERE count.n = ( SELECT max(n) FROM CountEmployees ) OR pay.amt = ( SELCT min(amt) FROM DeptPayroll )

Applications of Common Table Expressions - Common table expressions are useful whenever multiple levels of aggregation must occur within a single query. - Views within a procedure that must contain a reference to a program variable. - Queries that use temporary result set to store a set of values. What is Recursive Common Table Expression - Recursive common table expression allow you to query tables that represent hierarchical information. - A recursive common table expression is composed of an initial sub query or seed and a recursive sub query. Example 1: WITH RECURSIVE Manager ( emp_id, manager_id, emp_fname, emp_lname, mgmt_level ) AS (( SELECT emp_id, manager_id, -initial subquery emp_fname emp_lname, 0 FROM employee AS e WHERE manager_id = emp_id ) UNION ALL ( SELECT e.emp_id, e.manager_id, -- recursive subquery e.emp_fname e.emp_lname, e.mgmt_level + 1 FROM employee AS e JOIN manager AS m ON e.manager_id = m.emp_id

AND e.manager_id <> e.emp_id AND m.mgmt_level < 20 )) SELECT 8 FROM manager ORDER BY mgmt_level, emp_lnmae, emp_fname Restrictions on Recursive Common Table Expressions - Recursive common table expressions cannot be mutually recursive - The only set operator permitted between the initial subquery and the recursive subquery is UNION ALL. - Within the definition of a recursive subquery, a self-reference to the recursive table expression can appear only within the FROM clause of the recursive sub query. - The recursive subquery cannot contain DISTINCT, or a GROUP BY or an ORDER BY clause. - The recursive subquery cannot make use of any aggregate function. - To prevent runaway recursive queries. An error is generated if the number of levels of recursion exceeds the current settings of the MAX_RECURSIVE_ITERATIONS option.