QUERY HELP!!! trying to create a query

Question

i'm creating a summary report
i have a table with sale dates
for example i have a table tab_1 and column saleDate as
saleDat
1923
1936
1945
2003
2005
saleDate contains years and there are some missing years where no sale
was made
My report has to display years starting from earliest year
so i have to create a query that starts with 1923
but the problem is that I have to have years that are not in table.
for example i have to display years 1924 which is not in table
so the part of report has to look like
1923 blah blah summary.........
1924 "
1925
1926
2005
2006
upto current year (2006 may not be in the table, but i have to display)
i just need to know the query that can query all the years starting from
the ealiest saleDate to current year
thanks in advance

Answer 1

Please write the query in the following form:
SELECT a.year, --- place other columns from your table.
FROM (SELECT (:start_num + rownum) year
FROM all_tab_columns
WHERE :start_num + rownum <= :end_num) a,
tab_1 b
WHERE a.year = b.saleDat(+);
Note:
1) if your start year and end year are 1923 and 2006. Then input as below:
:start_num = 1922
:end_num = 2006
2) Since for some of the years (1924 etc) may not be there in your so you may need to use NVL to print proper indicators.
3) If you have more than one record in tab_1 for a particular year then group them based year and then use it.
Hope this helps.
- Saumen.