LEASTB

Returns the smallest value in a list of expressions of any data type, using binary ordering. All data types in the list must be the same or compatible. A NULL value in any one of the expressions returns NULL. Results can vary, depending on the locale's collation setting.

Behavior type

Syntax

LEASTB ( { * | expression[,...] } )

Arguments

* | expression[,...]

The expressions to evaluate, one of the following:

• * (asterisk)

  Evaluates all columns in the queried table.

• expression

  An expression of any data type. Functions that are included in expression must be deterministic.

Examples

The following command selects strasse as the smallest value in the list:

=> SELECT LEASTB('straße', 'strasse');
 LEASTB
---------
 strasse
(1 row)

LEASTB returns 5 as the smallest value in the list:

=> SELECT LEAST(7, 5, 10);
 LEAST
-------
     5
(1 row)

If you put quotes around the integer expressions, LEAST compares the values as strings and returns '10' as the smallest value:

=> SELECT LEASTB('7', '5', '10');
 LEAST
-------
 10
(1 row)

The next example returns 1.5, as INTEGER 2 is implicitly cast to FLOAT:

=> SELECT LEASTB(2, 1.5);
 LEASTB
--------
    1.5
(1 row)

LEASTB queries all columns in a view based on the VMart table product_dimension, and returns the smallest value in each row:

=> CREATE VIEW query1 AS SELECT shelf_width, shelf_height, shelf_depth FROM product_dimension;
CREATE VIEW
=> SELECT shelf_height, shelf_width, shelf_depth, leastb(*) FROM query1 WHERE shelf_height = 5;
 shelf_height | shelf_width | shelf_depth | leastb
--------------+-------------+-------------+--------
            5 |           3 |           4 |      3
            5 |           4 |           3 |      3
            5 |           1 |           4 |      1
            5 |           4 |           1 |      1
            5 |           2 |           4 |      2
            5 |           2 |           3 |      2
            5 |           1 |           3 |      1
            5 |           1 |           3 |      1
            5 |           5 |           1 |      1
            5 |           2 |           4 |      2
            5 |           4 |           5 |      4
            5 |           2 |           4 |      2
            5 |           4 |           4 |      4
            5 |           3 |           4 |      3
            5 |           5 |           4 |      4
            5 |           5 |           1 |      1
            5 |           3 |           1 |      1
...

See also