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UNION operation (Microsoft Access SQL)

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Applies to: Access 2013, Office 2013

Creates a union query, which combines the results of two or more independent queries or tables.

Syntax

[TABLE] query1 UNION [ALL] [TABLE] query2 [UNION [ALL] [TABLE] queryn [ … ]]

The UNION operation has these parts:

Part

Description

query1-n

A SELECT statement, the name of a stored query, or the name of a stored table preceded by the TABLE keyword.

Remarks

You can merge the results of two or more queries, tables, and SELECT statements, in any combination, in a single UNION operation. The following example merges an existing table named New Accounts and a SELECT statement:

TABLE [New Accounts] UNION ALL 
SELECT * 
FROM Customers 
WHERE OrderAmount > 1000;

By default, no duplicate records are returned when you use a UNION operation; however, you can include the ALL predicate to ensure that all records are returned. This also makes the query run faster.

All queries in a UNION operation must request the same number of fields; however, the fields do not have to be of the same size or data type.

Use aliases only in the first SELECT statement because they are ignored in any others. In the ORDER BY clause, refer to fields by what they are called in the first SELECT statement.

Note

  • You can use a GROUP BY or HAVING clause in each query argument to group the returned data.
  • You can use an ORDER BY clause at the end of the last query argument to display the returned data in a specified order.

Example

This example retrieves the names and cities of all suppliers and customers in Brazil. It calls the EnumFields procedure, which you can find in the SELECT statement example.

    Sub UnionX() 
     
        Dim dbs As Database, rst As Recordset 
     
        ' Modify this line to include the path to Northwind 
        ' on your computer. 
        Set dbs = OpenDatabase("Northwind.mdb") 
         
        ' Retrieve the names and cities of all suppliers  
        ' and customers in Brazil. 
        Set rst = dbs.OpenRecordset("SELECT CompanyName," _ 
            & " City FROM Suppliers" _ 
            & " WHERE Country = 'Brazil' UNION" _ 
            & " SELECT CompanyName, City FROM Customers" _ 
            & " WHERE Country = 'Brazil';") 
         
        ' Populate the Recordset. 
        rst.MoveLast 
         
        ' Call EnumFields to print the contents of the  
        ' Recordset. Pass the Recordset object and desired 
        ' field width. 
        EnumFields rst, 12 
     
        dbs.Close 
     
    End Sub