How to Preserve the Order of Values in `IN()` Function for Sorting in MySQL?

MySQL: Preserving IN() Function Order in Sorting

When retrieving records using an IN() function, it may be desirable to preserve the order in which the values were entered into the function in the sorted results. By default, MySQL orders the results based on the database's internal sorting mechanism.

Solution:

To sort the results by the order of values in the IN() function, utilize the FIELD function. The FIELD function returns the position of the first string in the remaining list of strings.

Consider the following query:

In this query, the FIELD function is used within the ORDER BY clause. It ensures that the results are sorted in the same order as the values in the IN() function: 'B', 'A', 'D', 'E', 'C'.

Performance Optimization:

While the FIELD function can be used to achieve the desired sorting, it's recommended to consider indexing a column that represents the desired sort order. By creating an index on this column, MySQL can optimize the sorting process, resulting in improved performance.

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