distinct values from a join

Is there any way i can get distinct values in one column from a join of 2
tables with the same columns? FOr example:
table1, column fname
frank
bob
bob
dave
frank
A distinct yields
frank
bob
dave
table2, column fname
bob
alan
dave
alan
I want to join these tables and get one column, fname, to have:
frank
bob
dave
alan
Thanks for any help.
Bernie YaegerNevermind- figured it out:
select distinct invnum from bnlsum union select distinct invnum from bnlsumr
Bernie
"Bernie Yaeger" <berniey@.optonline.net> wrote in message
news:eOLdvc%236FHA.3276@.TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Is there any way i can get distinct values in one column from a join of 2
> tables with the same columns? FOr example:
> table1, column fname
> frank
> bob
> bob
> dave
> frank
> A distinct yields
> frank
> bob
> dave
> table2, column fname
> bob
> alan
> dave
> alan
> I want to join these tables and get one column, fname, to have:
> frank
> bob
> dave
> alan
> Thanks for any help.
> Bernie Yaeger
>
>
>|||Hey Bernie,
Just as an FYI: a UNION query performs a DISTINCT inherently. Although
your performance plan may not change much, using DISTINCT and UNION in
the same query is redundant.
If your tables are large, you may see some benefit by running SELECT
Distinct colname... UNION ALL... That way, the DISTINCT selection is
performed in parallel before the rsults are joined.
Stu|||Hi,
You also try it as
SELECT distinct fname
FROM
(
Select fname from Table1
UNION
Select fname from Table2
)UNION_TABLE
best Regards,
Chandra
http://chanduas.blogspot.com/
http://www.SQLResource.com/
---
"Bernie Yaeger" wrote:

> Is there any way i can get distinct values in one column from a join of 2
> tables with the same columns? FOr example:
> table1, column fname
> frank
> bob
> bob
> dave
> frank
> A distinct yields
> frank
> bob
> dave
> table2, column fname
> bob
> alan
> dave
> alan
> I want to join these tables and get one column, fname, to have:
> frank
> bob
> dave
> alan
> Thanks for any help.
> Bernie Yaeger
>
>
>