Specifically Order Dynamic Results

[wilhud]

Hello,

I have sort of an odd question that I'm not sure what the best way would be to pull off. I have a page being dynamically generated to show a list of products in a category. These products are ordered by an item number. Here's my sql query, in case it helps explain what I'm doing...

SELECT * FROM items,categories WHERE items.category_id = categories.category_id AND items.category_id = $ID ORDER BY items.item_num ASC

The $ID is pulled from the querystring. Anyway, they originally wanted it ordered this way, but have now decided to take items 56 and 57 and put them on the top. Therefore, this query statement won't work anymore. Short of creating an entirely new page to display the contents or moving stuff around in the database to similate this, does anyone know how I could pull this off? Is there a sql query that I could write that would put those two items at the top and the rest below? If not, no big deal but I figured I'd ask to see if it was possible. I just have a feeling those items might get moved back at some point, so I'd rather keep the items setup in the database as they are, if possible.

Thanks,
Wil

[barand]

Create a boolean true/false condition to sort on

SELECT *, items.item_num in (56,57) as x FROM items,categories WHERE items.category_id = categories.category_id AND items.category_id = $ID ORDER BY x, items.item_num ASC

Depending on the values actually returned you may need "... BY x DESC ... ")

hth

[wilhud]

Ok that's amazing that it's even possible. Thanks barand!! That'll save me some time now and probably even more later. Works perfect!! I missed the part about the DESC, but once I put it in, it worked exactly as I needed. Thank you!!!

Thanks!!
Wil