SQL query question: SELECT ... NOT IN

Solution 1:

SELECT distinct idCustomer FROM reservations
WHERE DATEPART ( hour, insertDate) < 2
  and idCustomer is not null

Make sure your list parameter does not contain null values.

Here's an explanation:

WHERE field1 NOT IN (1, 2, 3, null)

is the same as:

WHERE NOT (field1 = 1 OR field1 = 2 OR field1 = 3 OR field1 = null)

• That last comparision evaluates to null.
• That null is OR'd with the rest of the boolean expression, yielding null. (*)
• null is negated, yielding null.
• null is not true - the where clause only keeps true rows, so all rows are filtered.

(*) Edit: this explanation is pretty good, but I wish to address one thing to stave off future nit-picking. (TRUE OR NULL) would evaluate to TRUE. This is relevant if field1 = 3, for example. That TRUE value would be negated to FALSE and the row would be filtered.

Solution 2:

It's always dangerous to have NULL in the IN list - it often behaves as expected for the IN but not for the NOT IN:

IF 1 NOT IN (1, 2, 3, NULL) PRINT '1 NOT IN (1, 2, 3, NULL)'
IF 1 NOT IN (2, 3, NULL) PRINT '1 NOT IN (2, 3, NULL)'
IF 1 NOT IN (2, 3) PRINT '1 NOT IN (2, 3)' -- Prints
IF 1 IN (1, 2, 3, NULL) PRINT '1 IN (1, 2, 3, NULL)' -- Prints
IF 1 IN (2, 3, NULL) PRINT '1 IN (2, 3, NULL)'
IF 1 IN (2, 3) PRINT '1 IN (2, 3)'

Solution 3:

Given it's SQL 2005, you can also try this It's similar to Oracle's MINUS command (opposite of UNION)

But I would also suggest adding the DATEPART ( hour, insertDate) column for debug

SELECT idCustomer FROM reservations 
EXCEPT
SELECT idCustomer FROM reservations WHERE DATEPART ( hour, insertDate) < 2