SkunkDave (dave_casserly@totalise.co.uk) writes:
> I want the top 20 records to be distinct by Food_Code.
>
> SELECT DISTINCTROW TOP 20 Food_Code, ID, The_Date, Grams_Eaten
> FROM food_eaten
> ORDER BY ID DESC;
>
> With this query im getting the top 20 ID's, which is what i want but i
> want the Food_Code to be distinct. Is this a contradiction in my SQL
> statement?

DISTINCT applies to all columns.

> How else could i get the last 20 items entered but have distinct
> Food_Codes's?

By posting the following information:

o The CREATE TABLE statement for your table.
o Sample data in form of INSERT statements.
o Desired output from the sample data. (It's probably a good idea to
change to TOP 3 rather than TOP 20 to reduce the need for data.)

Without this information it is a guesswork what you are after.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, sommar@algonet.se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinf...2000/books.asp