Alternating Results of two SQL queries - sql

Question

This is probably not possible, but is there a way to output the results of two queries in alternating lines on a table?
For example if I have two tables that are trying to show one widget vs all of the widgets in its category, I would output each widget followed by the category averages, followed by widget 2 with its category averages in the next line. This would result in 4 lines. This is all assuming that widgets and their category averages are in two separate tables.
Sorry if this was confusing, I can clarify if I need to. I'm just trying to make it very simple for the final application to display in C#. It would probably be easier to do in the actual application but I'm not very familiar with C#...

Answer 1

First - as said in the comments - If you have a field to order by you can use one select with union and order by. and you are done.
Even if not (different ordering on each query) it's stil possible (assuming the two queries have the same exact schema):
SELECT *
FROM (SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY ColA) OrderA,1 OrderB,*
FROM A
UNION ALL
SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY ColB) + 1 OrderA,2 OrderB, *
FROM B) C
ORDER BY OrderA, OrderB
Disclaimer - I don't think it's a database operation.

Answer 2

This is possible using two table variables, two sort columns in each and a union all, but I would recommend that you join the two tables together and have one row for each widget (can have many columns one for category averages) and manage the display aspects of the design on the C# side

Answer 3

If you have two temporary tables with identity columns, you can select a UNION of both tables with a careful manipulation of the row number:
declare #linesA table
(
lineid int identity(1,1) primary key clustered,
line varchar(80)
)
declare #linesB table
(
lineid int identity(1,1) primary key clustered,
line varchar(80)
)
insert into #linesA (line)
select 'A - 1'
union select 'A - 2'
union select 'A - 3'
insert into #linesB (line)
select 'B - 1'
union select 'B - 2'
union select 'B - 3'
select
lineid * 2 as RowNum,
line from #linesA
union select
lineid * 2 + 1 as RowNum,
line from #linesB
order by RowNum
If you don't have an identity column, then create one with ROW_NUMBER() like this:
select
row_number() over (order by line) * 2 as RowNum,
line from #linesA
union select
(row_number() over (order by line) * 2) + 1 as RowNum,
line from #linesB
order by RowNum

Answer 4

as updated in the comments.
first CTE is to generate only ODD and Even Numbers
remember that by default max allowed recursion is 100.
so we are setting value of #I to the number of records in to first table.
also notice the "OPTION (MAXRECURSION 0);" which is required if number of records happen to be more that 100 and in that case recursion happen that many times.
DECLARE #widget TABLE
(
widgetID INT
,widgetName sysname
,WidgetType sysname
)
DECLARE #categoryAvg TABLE
(
WidgetType sysname
,categoryAvg sysname
)
INSERT INTO #widget( widgetID, widgetName,WidgetType )
SELECT 1,'widget1','Wtype1'
UNION ALL SELECT 2,'widget2','Wtype1'
UNION ALL SELECT 2,'widget3','Wtype2'
UNION ALL SELECT 2,'widget4','Wtype2'
INSERT INTO #categoryAvg( WidgetType, categoryAvg )
SELECT 'Wtype1',10 UNION ALL SELECT 'Wtype2',20
declare #i int=100--MAX 100 ByDefault
declare #StartOdd int=1 --To generate ODD numbers
declare #StartEven int=2 --To generate EVEN numbers
SELECT #i = COUNT(*) From #widget
;WITH CTE_OE(Rowid,OddNum,EvenNum)
as
(
select 1,#StartOdd,#StartEven
union all
select t1.rowid+1,t1.OddNum+2,t1.EvenNum+2
from CTE_OE t1
where t1.rowid<#i
),
CTE_1(WidgetType,OutputColumn,RowID)
AS
(
SELECT t1.WidgetType,t1.OutputColumn,t2.OddNum
FROM
(
SELECT WidgetType
,widgetName As OutputColumn
,ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY widgetName,WidgetType) RowID
FROM #widget
)t1
JOIN CTE_OE t2
ON t1.RowID=t2.Rowid
),
CTE_2(OutputColumn,RowID)
AS
(
Select t1.OutputColumn
,t2.EvenNum
From
(
SELECT 'Type'+ ' = ' + q1.WidgetType + ', Avg = ' + q1.categoryAvg As OutputColumn
,ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY q1.WidgetType) AS RowID
FROM #categoryAvg q1
JOIN CTE_1 q2
on q1.WidgetType=q2.WidgetType
)t1
JOIN CTE_OE t2
ON t1.RowID=t2.Rowid
)
Select OutputColumn
From
(
Select OutputColumn,RowID from CTE_1
union all
select OutputColumn,RowID from CTE_2
)qry
order by RowID
OPTION (MAXRECURSION 0);

Answer 5

I don't know C# personally, so I don't know how hard/easy this would be to do within the application, but just as a side thought, one way you might be able to approach it within the SQL query without having to make the two separate queries and alternate display and all... an option might be to just do a join and display results side by side. What I mean is you could do something along the lines of:
SELECT Widget.Name, Widget.Category, Widget.Speed, Category.Speed AS AvgSpeed
FROM Widget
INNER JOIN Category
ON Widget.Category=Category.Name;
Then you would end up having a table something along the lines of
Name Category Speed AvgSpeed
W1 Sample 1ms 2ms