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principlesqlCritical

Find highest level of a hierarchical field: with vs without CTEs

Submitted by: @import:stackexchange-dba··
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hierarchysqlstackoverflowmysqldba
fieldfindwithoutlevelwithhighesthierarchicalctes

Problem

note: this question has been updated to reflect that we are currently using MySQL, having done so, I would like to see a how much easier it would be if we switched to a CTE-supporting database.

I have a self-referencing table with a primary key, id and a foreign key parent_id.

+------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+
| Field      | Type         | Null | Key | Default | Extra          |
+------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+
| id         | int(11)      | NO   | PRI | NULL    | auto_increment | 
| parent_id  | int(11)      | YES  |     | NULL    |                | 
| name       | varchar(255) | YES  |     | NULL    |                | 
| notes      | text         | YES  |     | NULL    |                | 
+------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+


Given a name, how can I query the top-level parent?

Given a name, how can I query all of the id's associated with a record of name = 'foo'?

context: I am not a dba, but am planning to ask a dba to implement this type of hierarchical structure and would like to test some queries. The motivation for doing so is described by Kattge et al 2011.

Here is an example of the relationships among ids in the table:

``
-- -----------------------------------------------------
-- Create a new database called 'testdb'
-- -----------------------------------------------------
SET @OLD_UNIQUE_CHECKS=@@UNIQUE_CHECKS, UNIQUE_CHECKS=0;
SET @OLD_FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=@@FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS, FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=0;
SET @OLD_SQL_MODE=@@SQL_MODE, SQL_MODE='TRADITIONAL';

CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS testdb DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci ;
USE testdb ;

-- -----------------------------------------------------
-- Table testdb.observations
-- -----------------------------------------------------
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS testdb.observations (
id INT NOT NULL ,
parent_id INT NULL ,
name` VARCHAR(45) NU

Solution

You definitely have to script this via MySQL Stored Procedure Language

Here is a Stored Function called GetParentIDByIDto Retrieve a ParentID given an ID to Search For

DELIMITER $
DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS `junk`.`GetParentIDByID` $
CREATE FUNCTION `junk`.`GetParentIDByID` (GivenID INT) RETURNS INT
DETERMINISTIC
BEGIN
    DECLARE rv INT;

    SELECT IFNULL(parent_id,-1) INTO rv FROM
    (SELECT parent_id FROM pctable WHERE id = GivenID) A;
    RETURN rv;
END $
DELIMITER ;


Here is a Stored Function called GetAncestryto Retrieve a List of ParentIDs starting from the First Generation all the up the hierarchy given an ID to start with:

DELIMITER $
DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS `junk`.`GetAncestry` $
CREATE FUNCTION `junk`.`GetAncestry` (GivenID INT) RETURNS VARCHAR(1024)
DETERMINISTIC
BEGIN
    DECLARE rv VARCHAR(1024);
    DECLARE cm CHAR(1);
    DECLARE ch INT;

    SET rv = '';
    SET cm = '';
    SET ch = GivenID;
    WHILE ch > 0 DO
        SELECT IFNULL(parent_id,-1) INTO ch FROM
        (SELECT parent_id FROM pctable WHERE id = ch) A;
        IF ch > 0 THEN
            SET rv = CONCAT(rv,cm,ch);
            SET cm = ',';
        END IF;
    END WHILE;
    RETURN rv;
END $
DELIMITER ;


Here is something to generate sample data:

USE junk
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS pctable;
CREATE TABLE pctable
(
    id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    parent_id INT,
    PRIMARY KEY (id)
) ENGINE=MyISAM;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) VALUES (0);
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+1 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+2 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+3 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+4 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+5 FROM pctable;
SELECT * FROM pctable;


Here is what it generates:

mysql> USE junk
Database changed
mysql> DROP TABLE IF EXISTS pctable;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> CREATE TABLE pctable
    -> (
    ->     id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    ->     parent_id INT,
    ->     PRIMARY KEY (id)
    -> ) ENGINE=MyISAM;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.05 sec)

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) VALUES (0);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+1 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 1  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+2 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 2 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 2  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+3 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 4 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 4  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+4 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 8 rows affected (0.01 sec)
Records: 8  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+5 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 16 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 16  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> SELECT * FROM pctable;
+----+-----------+
| id | parent_id |
+----+-----------+
|  1 |         0 |
|  2 |         1 |
|  3 |         2 |
|  4 |         3 |
|  5 |         3 |
|  6 |         4 |
|  7 |         5 |
|  8 |         6 |
|  9 |         4 |
| 10 |         5 |
| 11 |         6 |
| 12 |         7 |
| 13 |         7 |
| 14 |         8 |
| 15 |         9 |
| 16 |        10 |
| 17 |         5 |
| 18 |         6 |
| 19 |         7 |
| 20 |         8 |
| 21 |         8 |
| 22 |         9 |
| 23 |        10 |
| 24 |        11 |
| 25 |         9 |
| 26 |        10 |
| 27 |        11 |
| 28 |        12 |
| 29 |        12 |
| 30 |        13 |
| 31 |        14 |
| 32 |        15 |
+----+-----------+
32 rows in set (0.00 sec)


Here are what the functions generate for each value:

```
mysql> SELECT id,GetParentIDByID(id),GetAncestry(id) FROM pctable;
+----+---------------------+-----------------+
| id | GetParentIDByID(id) | GetAncestry(id) |
+----+---------------------+-----------------+
| 1 | 0 | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 2 | 2,1 |
| 4 | 3 | 3,2,1 |
| 5 | 3 | 3,2,1 |
| 6 | 4 | 4,3,2,1 |
| 7 | 5 | 5,3,2,1 |
| 8 | 6 | 6,4,3,2,1 |
| 9 | 4 | 4,3,2,1 |
| 10 | 5 | 5,3,2,1 |
| 11 | 6 | 6,4,3,2,1 |
| 12 | 7 | 7,5,3,2,1 |
| 13 | 7 | 7,5,3,2,1 |
| 14 | 8 | 8,6,4,3,2,1 |
| 15 | 9 | 9,4,3,2,1 |
| 16 | 10 | 10,5,3,2,1 |
| 17 | 5 | 5,3,2,1 |
| 18 | 6 | 6,4,3,2,1 |
| 19 | 7 | 7,5,3,2,1 |
| 20 | 8 | 8,6,4,3,2,1 |
| 21 | 8 | 8,6,4,3,2,1 |
|

Code Snippets

DELIMITER $$
DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS `junk`.`GetParentIDByID` $$
CREATE FUNCTION `junk`.`GetParentIDByID` (GivenID INT) RETURNS INT
DETERMINISTIC
BEGIN
    DECLARE rv INT;

    SELECT IFNULL(parent_id,-1) INTO rv FROM
    (SELECT parent_id FROM pctable WHERE id = GivenID) A;
    RETURN rv;
END $$
DELIMITER ;
DELIMITER $$
DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS `junk`.`GetAncestry` $$
CREATE FUNCTION `junk`.`GetAncestry` (GivenID INT) RETURNS VARCHAR(1024)
DETERMINISTIC
BEGIN
    DECLARE rv VARCHAR(1024);
    DECLARE cm CHAR(1);
    DECLARE ch INT;

    SET rv = '';
    SET cm = '';
    SET ch = GivenID;
    WHILE ch > 0 DO
        SELECT IFNULL(parent_id,-1) INTO ch FROM
        (SELECT parent_id FROM pctable WHERE id = ch) A;
        IF ch > 0 THEN
            SET rv = CONCAT(rv,cm,ch);
            SET cm = ',';
        END IF;
    END WHILE;
    RETURN rv;
END $$
DELIMITER ;
USE junk
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS pctable;
CREATE TABLE pctable
(
    id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    parent_id INT,
    PRIMARY KEY (id)
) ENGINE=MyISAM;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) VALUES (0);
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+1 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+2 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+3 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+4 FROM pctable;
INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+5 FROM pctable;
SELECT * FROM pctable;
mysql> USE junk
Database changed
mysql> DROP TABLE IF EXISTS pctable;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> CREATE TABLE pctable
    -> (
    ->     id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    ->     parent_id INT,
    ->     PRIMARY KEY (id)
    -> ) ENGINE=MyISAM;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.05 sec)

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) VALUES (0);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+1 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 1  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+2 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 2 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 2  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+3 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 4 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 4  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+4 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 8 rows affected (0.01 sec)
Records: 8  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> INSERT INTO pctable (parent_id) SELECT parent_id+5 FROM pctable;
Query OK, 16 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Records: 16  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

mysql> SELECT * FROM pctable;
+----+-----------+
| id | parent_id |
+----+-----------+
|  1 |         0 |
|  2 |         1 |
|  3 |         2 |
|  4 |         3 |
|  5 |         3 |
|  6 |         4 |
|  7 |         5 |
|  8 |         6 |
|  9 |         4 |
| 10 |         5 |
| 11 |         6 |
| 12 |         7 |
| 13 |         7 |
| 14 |         8 |
| 15 |         9 |
| 16 |        10 |
| 17 |         5 |
| 18 |         6 |
| 19 |         7 |
| 20 |         8 |
| 21 |         8 |
| 22 |         9 |
| 23 |        10 |
| 24 |        11 |
| 25 |         9 |
| 26 |        10 |
| 27 |        11 |
| 28 |        12 |
| 29 |        12 |
| 30 |        13 |
| 31 |        14 |
| 32 |        15 |
+----+-----------+
32 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql> SELECT id,GetParentIDByID(id),GetAncestry(id) FROM pctable;
+----+---------------------+-----------------+
| id | GetParentIDByID(id) | GetAncestry(id) |
+----+---------------------+-----------------+
|  1 |                   0 |                 |
|  2 |                   1 | 1               |
|  3 |                   2 | 2,1             |
|  4 |                   3 | 3,2,1           |
|  5 |                   3 | 3,2,1           |
|  6 |                   4 | 4,3,2,1         |
|  7 |                   5 | 5,3,2,1         |
|  8 |                   6 | 6,4,3,2,1       |
|  9 |                   4 | 4,3,2,1         |
| 10 |                   5 | 5,3,2,1         |
| 11 |                   6 | 6,4,3,2,1       |
| 12 |                   7 | 7,5,3,2,1       |
| 13 |                   7 | 7,5,3,2,1       |
| 14 |                   8 | 8,6,4,3,2,1     |
| 15 |                   9 | 9,4,3,2,1       |
| 16 |                  10 | 10,5,3,2,1      |
| 17 |                   5 | 5,3,2,1         |
| 18 |                   6 | 6,4,3,2,1       |
| 19 |                   7 | 7,5,3,2,1       |
| 20 |                   8 | 8,6,4,3,2,1     |
| 21 |                   8 | 8,6,4,3,2,1     |
| 22 |                   9 | 9,4,3,2,1       |
| 23 |                  10 | 10,5,3,2,1      |
| 24 |                  11 | 11,6,4,3,2,1    |
| 25 |                   9 | 9,4,3,2,1       |
| 26 |                  10 | 10,5,3,2,1      |
| 27 |                  11 | 11,6,4,3,2,1    |
| 28 |                  12 | 12,7,5,3,2,1    |
| 29 |                  12 | 12,7,5,3,2,1    |
| 30 |                  13 | 13,7,5,3,2,1    |
| 31 |                  14 | 14,8,6,4,3,2,1  |
| 32 |                  15 | 15,9,4,3,2,1    |
+----+---------------------+-----------------+
32 rows in set (0.02 sec)

Context

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#7147, answer score: 72

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