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sqlpostgresqlgreatest-n-per-group

How can I retrieve the rows of all non-latest records whereby the latest is always excluded?


How would I get the non-latest record for each name. I want to get results such that if a name has one record, it is excluded because it is the latest. If a name has two records, I'll include the older one. If a name has three records, It'll include the older two.

If I have a table like this

+-------+---------------------+---------+
| name  | date                | picture |
+-------+---------------------+---------+
| jose  | 2020-12-11 09:27:24 | 1.jpg   |
| ned   | 2021-12-10 09:27:31 | 20.jpg  |
| ned   | 2018-12-25 09:27:34 | 55.jpg  |
| sid   | 2017-12-20 09:28:21 | 21.jpg  |
| ned   | 2021-12-19 09:27:34 | 22.jpg  |
| sid   | 2015-12-15 09:28:21 | 66.jpg  |
| wade  | 2014-12-17 09:28:21 | 88.jgg  |
| wade  | 2019-12-18 09:28:21 | 11.jpg  |
| wade  | 2021-12-19 09:28:21 | 10.jpg  |
| wade  | 2022-12-05 09:28:21 | 20.jpg  |
+-------+---------------------+---------+

The results should be

+-------+---------------------+---------+
| name  | date                | picture |
+-------+---------------------+---------+
| ned   | 2021-12-10 09:27:31 | 20.jpg  |
| ned   | 2018-12-25 09:27:34 | 55.jpg  |
| sid   | 2015-12-15 09:28:21 | 66.jpg  |
| wade  | 2014-12-17 09:28:21 | 88.jgg  |
| wade  | 2019-12-18 09:28:21 | 11.jpg  |
| wade  | 2021-12-19 09:28:21 | 10.jpg  |
+-------+---------------------+---------+

Solution

  • This problem can be solved using window function row_number in next way:

    with ordered as (
        select 
            t.*, row_number() over (partition by name order by date desc) rn 
        from t
    ) select * from ordered where rn > 1;
    

    https://sqlize.online/s/TW

    The row_number returns numbers in order of date, sow the oldest record always will be numbered by 1, after that we simply filter out such records