From: Lloyd Linklater <lloyd@2live4.com>
Date: 2008-07-08T08:34:13+09:00
Subject: Re: Fetch 6 records from a table randomly

Lloyd Linklater wrote:
> As to the question itself, each client server application seems to 
> implement SQL standards in a non standard way.  That is to say that 
> there is always some proprietary bit here or there.  The SQL in oracle 
> might be:
> 
> select * from mytable where rownum = 123
> 
> and have the ruby random number generator insert a random value.

I have used this differently and found that it is not exactly as I said. 
The rownum column in oracle exists only in a result set so it will work 
for row 1 but no other UNLESS...

try this:  (I am not at a system with oracle but I want to send this 
before I forget.)

select * from
(select * from mytable) -- gets it all
where rownum = 123

This way, it has a full result set from which to select.  Rather clunky 
but I only looked at this between meetings.
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