How to compare values which may both be null in T-SQL
I want to make sure I'm not inserting a duplicate row into my table (e.g. only primary key different). All my fields allow NULLS as I've decided null to mean "all values". Because of nulls, the following statement in my stored procedure can't work:
IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM MY_TABLE WHERE
MY_FIELD1 = @IN_MY_FIELD1 AND
MY_FIELD2 = @IN_MY_FIELD2 AND
MY_FIELD3 = @IN_MY_FIELD3 AND
MY_FIELD4 = @IN_MY_FIELD4 AND
MY_FIELD5 = @IN_MY_FIELD5 AND
MY_FIELD6 = @IN_MY_FIELD6)
BEGIN
goto on_duplicate
END
since NULL = NULL is not true.
How can I check for the duplicates without having an IF IS NULL statement for every column?
Along the same lines as @Eric's answer, but without using a 'NULL'
symbol.
(Field1 = Field2) OR (ISNULL(Field1, Field2) IS NULL)
This will be true only if both values are non-NULL
, and equal each other, or both values are NULL
Use INTERSECT
operator.
It's NULL
-sensitive and efficient if you have a composite index on all your fields:
IF EXISTS
(
SELECT MY_FIELD1, MY_FIELD2, MY_FIELD3, MY_FIELD4, MY_FIELD5, MY_FIELD6
FROM MY_TABLE
INTERSECT
SELECT @IN_MY_FIELD1, @IN_MY_FIELD2, @IN_MY_FIELD3, @IN_MY_FIELD4, @IN_MY_FIELD5, @IN_MY_FIELD6
)
BEGIN
goto on_duplicate
END
Note that if you create a UNIQUE
index on your fields, your life will be much simpler.