Same sql query gives different results on sql server and on php output

Question

Here is the sql query

    SELECT * FROM seedbed
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers AS seedfert ON seedfert.fert_protocol =seedbed.seed_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides AS seedpest ON seedpest.pest_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers_list AS seedfert_list ON  seedfert.fert_id =seedfert_list.id    
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides_list AS seedpest_list ON  seedpest.pest_id = seedpest_list.id
LEFT OUTER JOIN field ON field.field_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol + "%"         
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers AS fieldfert ON fieldfert.fert_protocol = field.field_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides AS fieldpest ON fieldpest.pest_protocol = field.field_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN stock ON stock.field_protocol = field.field_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers_list AS fieldfert_list ON  fieldfert.fert_id =fieldfert_list.id 
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides_list AS fieldpest_list ON  fieldpest.pest_id = fieldpest_list.id
WHERE seedbed.seed_protocol LIKE "1/2013/2%"
ORDER BY field_num;

In php is exactly the same i use codeigniter but i dont use for this active record library so is pretty much the same.

$sql = "SELECT * FROM seedbed
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers AS seedfert ON seedfert.fert_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides AS seedpest ON seedpest.pest_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers_list AS seedfert_list ON  seedfert.fert_id = seedfert_list.id   
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides_list AS seedpest_list ON  seedpest.pest_id = seedpest_list.id
LEFT OUTER JOIN field ON field.field_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol + '%'         
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers AS fieldfert ON fieldfert.fert_protocol = field.field_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides AS fieldpest ON fieldpest.pest_protocol = field.field_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN stock ON stock.field_protocol = field.field_protocol
LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers_list AS fieldfert_list ON  fieldfert.fert_id =fieldfert_list.id 
LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides_list AS fieldpest_list ON  fieldpest.pest_id = fieldpest_list.id
WHERE seedbed.seed_protocol LIKE '".$this->db->escape_like_str($ins_protocol)."%'
ORDER BY field_num";
$query = $this->db->query($sql);
$data = $query->result();
print_r($data); 

The problem now is that in sql server i get all the results i should get although in php i dont get the results of my first two JOINS. And i have no idea why?

I hope someone knows whats going on.

Answer 1

In Codeigniter, run:

echo $this->db->last_query();

and compare to your non-CI query

Answer 2

Check for NULLs throughout your database that might cause problems with the joins. Other people have also had issues with PHP returning strange results as a result of NULL handling.

Answer 3

As alluded to by the OP, the issue is most likely to do with having the same field names in multiple tables, therefore they will get combined/overwritten when executed and returned in PHP.

Solution is to give all fields/columns that have conflicting names unique aliases. I can't think of a way to do this automatically unfortunately, so I think it would have to be a manual process.

There could also be issues with how the tables are grouped, so just in case I'll throw in a bunch of parentheses!

SELECT seedbed.*, 
       seedfert.field1 AS seedfert_field1, seedfert.field2 AS seedfert_field2, 
       seedpest.field1 AS seedpest_field1, seedpest.field2 AS seedpest_field2, 
       seedfert_list.field1 AS seedfert_list_field1, seedfert_list.field2 AS seedfert_list_field2, 
       seedpest_list.field1 AS seedpest_list_field1, seedpest_list.field2 AS seedpest_list_field2, 
       etc...
FROM (((((((((seedbed
    LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers AS seedfert ON seedfert.fert_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides AS seedpest ON seedpest.pest_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers_list AS seedfert_list ON  seedfert.fert_id = seedfert_list.id)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides_list AS seedpest_list ON  seedpest.pest_id = seedpest_list.id)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN field ON field.field_protocol = seedbed.seed_protocol + '%')
    LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers AS fieldfert ON fieldfert.fert_protocol = field.field_protocol)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides AS fieldpest ON fieldpest.pest_protocol = field.field_protocol)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN stock ON stock.field_protocol = field.field_protocol)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN fertilizers_list AS fieldfert_list ON  fieldfert.fert_id =fieldfert_list.id)
    LEFT OUTER JOIN pesticides_list AS fieldpest_list ON  fieldpest.pest_id = fieldpest_list.id
WHERE seedbed.seed_protocol LIKE '".$this->db->escape_like_str($ins_protocol)."%'
ORDER BY field_num

Answer 4

this works on me:

SET ANSI_NULLS ON 
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON 
SET CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL ON 
SET ANSI_WARNINGS ON 
SET ANSI_PADDING ON