How can I perform the Count function with a where clause? - sql

Question

I have my database setup to allow a user to "Like" or "Dislike" a post. If it is liked, the column isliked = true, false otherwise (null if nothing.)
The problem is, I am trying to create a view that shows all Posts, and also shows a column with how many 'likes' and 'dislikes' each post has. Here is my SQL; I'm not sure where to go from here. It's been a while since I've worked with SQL and everything I've tried so far has not given me what I want.
Perhaps my DB isn't setup properly for this. Here is the SQL:
Select trippin.AccountData.username, trippin.PostData.posttext,
trippin.CategoryData.categoryname, Count(trippin.LikesDislikesData.liked)
as TimesLiked from trippin.PostData
inner join trippin.AccountData on trippin.PostData.accountid = trippin.AccountData.id
inner join trippin.CategoryData on trippin.CategoryData.id = trippin.PostData.categoryid
full outer join trippin.LikesDislikesData on trippin.LikesDislikesData.postid =
trippin.PostData.id
full outer join trippin.LikesDislikesData likes2 on trippin.LikesDislikesData.accountid =
trippin.AccountData.id
Group By (trippin.AccountData.username), (trippin.PostData.posttext), (trippin.categorydata.categoryname);
Here's my table setup (I've only included relevant columns):
LikesDislikesData
isliked(bit) || accountid(string) || postid(string
PostData
id(string) || posttext || accountid(string)
AccountData
id(string) || username(string)
CategoryData
categoryname(string)

Answer 1

Problem 1: FULL OUTER JOIN versus LEFT OUTER JOIN. Full outer joins are seldom what you want, it means you want all data specified on the "left" and all data specified on the "right", that are matched and unmatched. What you want is all the PostData on the "left" and any matching Likes data on the "right". If some right hand side rows don't match something on the left, then you don't care about it. Almost always work from left to right and join results that are relevant.
Problem 2: table alias. Where ever you alias a table name - such as Likes2 - then every instance of that table within the query needs to use that alias. Straight after you declare the alias Likes2, your join condition refers back to trippin.LikesDislikesData, which is the first instance of the table. Given the second one in joining on a different field I suspect that the postid and accountid are being matched on the same row, therefore it should be AND together, not a separate table instance. EDIT reading your schema closer, it seems this wouldn't be needed at all.
Problem 3: to solve you Counts problem separate them using CASE statements. Count will add the number of non NULL values returned for each CASE. If the likes.liked = 1, then return 1 otherwise return NULL. The NULL will be returned if the columns contains a 0 or a NULL.
SELECT trippin.PostData.Id, trippin.AccountData.username, trippin.PostData.posttext,
trippin.CategoryData.categoryname,
SUM(CASE WHEN likes.liked = 1 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) as TimesLiked,
SUM(CASE WHEN likes.liked = 0 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) as TimesDisLiked
FROM trippin.PostData
INNER JOIN trippin.AccountData ON trippin.PostData.accountid = trippin.AccountData.id
INNER JOIN trippin.CategoryData ON trippin.CategoryData.id = trippin.PostData.categoryid
LEFT OUTER JOIN trippin.LikesDislikesData likes ON likes.postid = trippin.PostData.id
-- remove AND likes.accountid = trippin.AccountData.id
GROUP BY trippin.PostData.Id, (trippin.AccountData.username), (trippin.PostData.posttext), (trippin.categorydata.categoryname);
Then "hide" the PostId column in the User Interface.

Answer 2

Instead of selecting Count(trippin.LikesDislikesData.liked) you could put in a select statement:
Select AccountData.username, PostData.posttext, CategoryData.categoryname,
(select Count(*)
from LikesDislikesData as likes2
where likes2.postid = postdata.id
and likes2.liked = 'like' ) as TimesLiked
from PostData
inner join AccountData on PostData.accountid = AccountData.id
inner join CategoryData on CategoryData.id = PostData.categoryid

Answer 3

USE AdventureWorksDW2008R2
GO
SET NOCOUNT ON
GO
/*
Default
*/
SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL READ COMMITTED
GO
BEGIN TRAN
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb.dbo.#LikesDislikesData') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
DROP TABLE #LikesDislikesData
END
CREATE TABLE #LikesDislikesData(
isLiked bit
,accountid VARCHAR(50)
,postid VARCHAR(50)
);
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb.dbo.#PostData') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
DROP TABLE #PostData
END
CREATE TABLE #PostData(
postid INT IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL
,accountid VARCHAR(50)
,posttext VARCHAR(50)
);
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb.dbo.#AccountData') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
DROP TABLE #AccountData
END
CREATE TABLE #AccountData(
accountid INT
,username VARCHAR(50)
);
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb.dbo.#CategoryData') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
DROP TABLE #CategoryData
END
CREATE TABLE #CategoryData(
categoryname VARCHAR(50)
);
INSERT INTO #AccountData VALUES ('1', 'user1')
INSERT INTO #PostData VALUES('1','this is a post')
INSERT INTO #LikesDislikesData (isLiked ,accountid, postid)
SELECT '1', P.accountid, P.postid
FROM #PostData P
WHERE P.posttext = 'this is a post'
SELECT *
FROM #PostData
SELECT *
FROM #LikesDislikesData
SELECT *
FROM #AccountData
SELECT COUNT(L.isLiked) 'Likes'
,P.posttext
,A.username
FROM #PostData P
JOIN #LikesDislikesData L
ON P.accountid = L.accountid
AND L.IsLiked = 1
JOIN #AccountData A
ON P.accountid = A.accountid
GROUP BY P.posttext, A.username
SELECT X.likes, Y.dislikes
FROM (
(SELECT COUNT(isliked)as 'likes', accountid
FROM #LikesDislikesData
WHERE isLiked = 1
GROUP BY accountid
) X
JOIN
(SELECT COUNT(isliked)as 'dislikes', accountid
FROM #LikesDislikesData
WHERE isLiked = 0
GROUP BY accountid) Y
ON x.accountid = y.accountid)
IF (XACT_STATE() = 1 AND ERROR_STATE() = 0)
BEGIN
COMMIT TRAN
END
ELSE IF (##TRANCOUNT > 0)
BEGIN
ROLLBACK TRAN
END

Answer 4

How do you think about the solution? We create a new table SummaryReport(PostID,AccountID,NumberOfLikedTime,NumberOfDislikedTimes).
An user clicks on LIKE or DISLIKE button we update the table. After that, you can query as you desire. Another advantage, the table can be served reporting purpose.