INSERT but ignore duplicates

[shorti]

I am looking for a way to insert into one table from another table but
ignore duplicates (because the query will fail since the column I am
inserting into is a unique index).

RE:

INSERT INTO table1 (SELECT column1 from table2)

This query works if table1 is empty but if table1 has any recorda they
would be duplicate to table2. I also cannot delete the existing
records in table1. I did not see anything like an IGNORE clause and I
really would like to avoid opening my own cursor to go through the
table. Any suggestions?

[Mark Yudkin]

Use the MERGE statement. It's designed for exactly what you want.

"shorti" <lb******@juno.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@e56g2000cwe.googlegr oups.com...

I am looking for a way to insert into one table from another table but
ignore duplicates (because the query will fail since the column I am
inserting into is a unique index).

RE:

INSERT INTO table1 (SELECT column1 from table2)

This query works if table1 is empty but if table1 has any recorda they
would be duplicate to table2. I also cannot delete the existing
records in table1. I did not see anything like an IGNORE clause and I
really would like to avoid opening my own cursor to go through the
table. Any suggestions?

[Brian Tkatch]

> I did not see anything like an IGNORE clause

WHERE means ignore anything that doesn't satisfy the clause.

INSERT INTO table1 (SELECT DISTINCT column1 from table2
WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM table1 WHERE column1 = table2.column1))

Though, you could also use MERGE.

B.

[shorti]

Ok..thanks! I will try them out!