# Number.find() shall only return unique values

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/number-find-shall-only-return-unique-values/88833>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [March 14, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/number-find-shall-only-return-unique-values/88833 "2007-03-14T21:14:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/msojka)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/number-find-shall-only-return-unique-values/88833/1 "2007-03-14T21:14:11Z")

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Hi,

I got an address book with a list-column, and I want this dropdown to  
display the unique values I have used. So I can sort on e.g. “work” or  
“friend”.

\<%= select(“post”, “list”, Number.find(:all, :order =\> “list”,  
:conditions =\> "company = ‘#{$user\_company}’ ").collect   
{|p| [p.list] }, { :include\_blank =\> true }) %\>

Is that possible, or do I have to use a low level SQL query?

Best regards,  
Martin S.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/msojka)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/number-find-shall-only-return-unique-values/88833/2 "2007-03-14T21:40:27Z")

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Martin S. wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I got an address book with a list-column, and I want this dropdown to  
> display the unique values I have used. So I can sort on e.g. “work” or  
> “friend”.
> 
> \<%= select(“post”, “list”, Number.find(:all, :order =\> “list”,  
> :conditions =\> "company = ‘#{$user\_company}’ ").collect   
> {|p| [p.list] }, { :include\_blank =\> true }) %\>
> 
> Is that possible, or do I have to use a low level SQL query?
> 
> Best regards,  
> Martin S.

Number.find(:all, :select=\>“DISTINCT some\_field, some\_field2”)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/msojka)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/number-find-shall-only-return-unique-values/88833/3 "2007-03-14T22:08:23Z")

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You can also use .uniq to remove duplicates at the Ruby level.

Michael

On Mar 14, 1:40 pm, Justin M. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@msojka](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/msojka)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/number-find-shall-only-return-unique-values/88833/4 "2007-03-14T22:11:24Z")

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Thanks,

With some minor syntax editing, it workes like a sharm! 🙂  
Thanks!

\<%= select(“post”, “list”, Number.find(:all, :select =\> ‘DISTINCT  
list’, :conditions =\> "company = ‘#{$user\_company}’ ").collect   
{|p| [p.list] }, { :include\_blank =\> true }) %\>

Rgds,  
Martin S.

On 14/03/07, Justin M. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> > {|p| [p.list] }, { :include\_blank =\> true }) %\>  
> > –  
> > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/).
> 
> >

–  
Med vennlig hilsen,  
Martin S. Mob: 93 44 17 07