Getting distinct data using TSQL ( Top 1) - sql

Question

I have a stored procedure which gets data from different tables using LEFT join. I want to pick distinct records ( first one only).
Stored procedure is like this:
ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[hr_ActionLog_GetList]
#Action INT = NULL,
#DateFrom DATETIME = NULL,
#DateTo DATETIME = NULL,
#CompanyID INT = NULL,
#RegistrantID INT = NULL,
#VacancyID INT = NULL,
#Language INT = 1
AS
BEGIN
SELECT AL.[RegistrantID]
,[EmployeeID]
,AL.[UserID]
,[CompanyID]
,[VacancyID]
,[Action])
,[ActionDate],
RV.Forename,
RV.Surname,
RV.Username AS RegistrantUsername,
E.Forename AS EmployeeForename,
E.Surname AS EmployeeSurname,
U.Username,
CASE
WHEN #Language = 2 THEN V.JobTitleLang2
ELSE V.JobTitleLang1
END AS JobTitle
FROM dbo.hr_ActionLog AL LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.RegistrantsListView RV ON AL.RegistrantID = RV.RegistrantID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Employees E ON AL.EmployeeID = E.EmployeeID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Users U ON AL.UserID = U.UserID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Companies C ON AL.CompanyID = C.CompanyID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Vacancies V ON AL.VacancyID = V.VacancyID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Companies VC ON V.CompanyID = VC.CompanyID
WHERE (#Action IS NULL OR AL.Action = #Action)
AND (#DateFrom IS NULL OR dbo.DateOnly(AL.ActionDate) >= dbo.DateOnly(#DateFrom))
AND (#DateTo IS NULL OR dbo.DateOnly(AL.ActionDate) <= dbo.DateOnly(#DateTo))
AND (#CompanyID IS NULL OR AL.CompanyID = #CompanyID)
AND (#RegistrantID IS NULL OR AL.RegistrantID = #RegistrantID)
AND (#VacancyID IS NULL OR AL.VacancyID = #VacancyID)
ORDER BY AL.ActionDate DESC
END
sample data
1786 16294 15 16321 3 NULL 4 2013-08-03 12:18:08.130 cv 3 cv3#cc.com asif hameed asif#bb.com my company1aa NULL NULL
1785 16294 15 16321 3 NULL 4 2013-08-03 12:17:57.797 cv 3 cv3#cc.com asif hameed asif#bb.com my company1aa NULL NULL
1784 16293 15 16321 3 NULL 4 2013-08-03 12:17:47.243 cv 2 cv2#cc.com asif hameed asif#cc.com my company1aa NULL NULL
1783 16295 15 16321 3 NULL 4 2013-08-03 12:17:40.967 cv 4 cv4#cc.com asif hameed asif#cc.com my company1aa NULL NULL
1782 16292 15 16321 3 NULL 4 2013-08-03 12:17:31.953 cv 1 CV1#cc.com asif hameed asif#bb.com my company1aa NULL NULL
I want to get first record from action log table which is distinct.

Answer 1

I am not sure whether I understood your question correct; when you say "I want top get first record which is distinct".
But something like this might help.
I am still not sure what columns have duplicate values, but you can try this.
Select Distinct TOP 1 * from
( SELECT
AL.[RegistrantID]
,[EmployeeID]
,AL.[UserID]
,[CompanyID]
,[VacancyID]
,[Action])
,[ActionDate],
RV.Forename,
RV.Surname,
RV.Username AS RegistrantUsername,
E.Forename AS EmployeeForename,
E.Surname AS EmployeeSurname,
U.Username,
CASE
WHEN #Language = 2 THEN V.JobTitleLang2
ELSE V.JobTitleLang1
END AS JobTitle
FROM dbo.hr_ActionLog AL LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.RegistrantsListView RV ON AL.RegistrantID = RV.RegistrantID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Employees E ON AL.EmployeeID = E.EmployeeID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Users U ON AL.UserID = U.UserID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Companies C ON AL.CompanyID = C.CompanyID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Vacancies V ON AL.VacancyID = V.VacancyID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Companies VC ON V.CompanyID = VC.CompanyID
WHERE (#Action IS NULL OR AL.Action = #Action)
AND (#DateFrom IS NULL OR dbo.DateOnly(AL.ActionDate) >= dbo.DateOnly(#DateFrom))
AND (#DateTo IS NULL OR dbo.DateOnly(AL.ActionDate) <= dbo.DateOnly(#DateTo))
AND (#CompanyID IS NULL OR AL.CompanyID = #CompanyID)
AND (#RegistrantID IS NULL OR AL.RegistrantID = #RegistrantID)
AND (#VacancyID IS NULL OR AL.VacancyID = #VacancyID)
ORDER BY AL.ActionDate DESC ) subquery
You can even add Distinct inside the subquery and just select TOP 1 * in the main select

Answer 2

As ##BogdanSahlean suggested you can try following
Select * from
( SELECT
AL.[RegistrantID]
,[EmployeeID]
,AL.[UserID]
,[CompanyID]
,[VacancyID]
,[Action])
,[ActionDate],
RV.Forename,
RV.Surname,
RV.Username AS RegistrantUsername,
E.Forename AS EmployeeForename,
E.Surname AS EmployeeSurname,
U.Username,
CASE
WHEN #Language = 2 THEN V.JobTitleLang2
ELSE V.JobTitleLang1
END AS JobTitle,
ROW_NUMBER() OVER(PARTITION BY DATEPART(yy,YOURDATEHERE) ORDER BY YOURDATEHERE DESC) ROW
FROM dbo.hr_ActionLog AL LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.RegistrantsListView RV ON AL.RegistrantID = RV.RegistrantID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Employees E ON AL.EmployeeID = E.EmployeeID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Users U ON AL.UserID = U.UserID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Companies C ON AL.CompanyID = C.CompanyID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Vacancies V ON AL.VacancyID = V.VacancyID
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.hr_Companies VC ON V.CompanyID = VC.CompanyID
WHERE (#Action IS NULL OR AL.Action = #Action)
AND (#DateFrom IS NULL OR dbo.DateOnly(AL.ActionDate) >= dbo.DateOnly(#DateFrom))
AND (#DateTo IS NULL OR dbo.DateOnly(AL.ActionDate) <= dbo.DateOnly(#DateTo))
AND (#CompanyID IS NULL OR AL.CompanyID = #CompanyID)
AND (#RegistrantID IS NULL OR AL.RegistrantID = #RegistrantID)
AND (#VacancyID IS NULL OR AL.VacancyID = #VacancyID)
ORDER BY AL.ActionDate DESC ) subquery
where subquery.Row = 1