# Complex sql query approach **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [January 19, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-sql-query-approach/82652 "2007-01-19T16:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sean\_OSHara](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sean\_OSHara](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Sean_OSHara)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-sql-query-approach/82652/1 "2007-01-19T16:32:01Z")
Hi All, I have a question about what would be the best or the “rails” way to generate a report from my web app that is basically a web store. I wonder if I should just come up with a complex sql query by hand (which would probably take a while to figure out since I don’t know much beyond basic sql, i.e. haven’t delved into joins yet). Or should I just use my rails models and attributes and do all the calculations in ruby (I fear this could this could entail a significant database hit). Here is my data structure. Artists has\_many Releases has\_many Products has\_many LineItems has\_many Orders. I would like to generate a sales report that lists each artist with their associated releases and for each product associated with that release I would like to list the number of copies sold and the total sales price. Any opinions on the best way to approach this? Thanks in advance, Sean ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_OSHara](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sean\_OSHara](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Sean_OSHara)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-sql-query-approach/82652/2 "2007-09-25T22:40:32Z")
On Thu, 2007-01-11 at 19:39 -0500, Sean O’Hara wrote: > Any opinions on the best way to approach this? * * * the find (complex searches)… [http://brainspl.at/articles/2006/06/30/new-release-of-ez\_where-plugin](http://brainspl.at/articles/2006/06/30/new-release-of-ez_where-plugin) the view code - start hacking Craig