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(mysql.info)Sorting rows

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Sorting Rows
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You may have noticed in the preceding examples that the result rows are
displayed in no particular order.  However, it's often easier to examine
query output when the rows are sorted in some meaningful way.  To sort a
result, use an `ORDER BY' clause.

Here are animal birthdays, sorted by date:

     mysql> SELECT name, birth FROM pet ORDER BY birth;
     +----------+------------+
     | name     | birth      |
     +----------+------------+
     | Buffy    | 1989-05-13 |
     | Bowser   | 1989-08-31 |
     | Fang     | 1990-08-27 |
     | Fluffy   | 1993-02-04 |
     | Claws    | 1994-03-17 |
     | Slim     | 1996-04-29 |
     | Whistler | 1997-12-09 |
     | Chirpy   | 1998-09-11 |
     | Puffball | 1999-03-30 |
     +----------+------------+

To sort in reverse order, add the `DESC' (descending) keyword to the
name of the column you are sorting by:

     mysql> SELECT name, birth FROM pet ORDER BY birth DESC;
     +----------+------------+
     | name     | birth      |
     +----------+------------+
     | Puffball | 1999-03-30 |
     | Chirpy   | 1998-09-11 |
     | Whistler | 1997-12-09 |
     | Slim     | 1996-04-29 |
     | Claws    | 1994-03-17 |
     | Fluffy   | 1993-02-04 |
     | Fang     | 1990-08-27 |
     | Bowser   | 1989-08-31 |
     | Buffy    | 1989-05-13 |
     +----------+------------+

You can sort on multiple columns.  For example, to sort by type of
animal, then by birth date within animal type with youngest animals
first, use the following query:

     mysql> SELECT name, species, birth FROM pet ORDER BY species, birth DESC;
     +----------+---------+------------+
     | name     | species | birth      |
     +----------+---------+------------+
     | Chirpy   | bird    | 1998-09-11 |
     | Whistler | bird    | 1997-12-09 |
     | Claws    | cat     | 1994-03-17 |
     | Fluffy   | cat     | 1993-02-04 |
     | Fang     | dog     | 1990-08-27 |
     | Bowser   | dog     | 1989-08-31 |
     | Buffy    | dog     | 1989-05-13 |
     | Puffball | hamster | 1999-03-30 |
     | Slim     | snake   | 1996-04-29 |
     +----------+---------+------------+

Note that the `DESC' keyword applies only to the column name immediately
preceding it (`birth'); `species' values are still sorted in ascending
order.