Hi Monks
I have the results from a SQL statement. I wish to order it in an unusual way . The main key I want to use to order them is a memory key. I want to order them in loop starting with the smallest value "0" and moving up to the largest "256". Then I want to repeat the process for the rest of the values ie 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 0, 2, 4, 8, .....

The values are ordered correctly (as above) in my database but when I retrieve them using a rather complicted SQL statement they become sorted ie 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4.......

Another problem I have is that all the Zero values are stored as null in the database. After my SQL statement is run it sends all the nulls to the end of the file. Unfortunatly not all the nulls are Zeros. Some are in fact nulls.

I'm comparing two tables using an outer join so some of the nulls would be non comparable results ie a result from table one that can't be matched to the second table.

memory    .    memory    .
 .        .      .       .
 .        .      .       .
 .        .      .       .
256     78879   256     8706    [Full result ordered
256     80700   256     7898     incorrectly (most common)]
256     53454   256     2345
--      76896   --      7860    [Result for 2
--      76967   --      8087     zero values]
--      34456   --      2344
--       --     2       7697    [No comparable values]
--       --     2       7696
--       --     2       7687
--       --     2       7869
--       --     4       6797
2       6798    --       --
2       7008    --       --
 .        .      .       .
 .        .      .       .
 .        .      .       .

[download]

So what I am hoping to do is
1) Order the results in the desired way.
2) Seperate nulls from zeros.

Any ideas are appreciated. I realise that this is a complex issue but even bit answers and suggestions are helpful.

Thanks Guys.

j o h n i r l .

Sum day soon I'Il lern how 2 spelI (nad tYpe)

In reply to Sorting by johnirl

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