pull out unique records form two fields

[OnziTam]

I have this basic question (obviously not so basic for me): how to pull out only unique records from two fields.

More details - two fields with names of competitors in a tournament (Winner or Loser) and i need to build a query to have all players names participating in the tournament regardless if they have won or lost in one list.

 

[ajetrumpet]

how to pull out only unique records from two fields.

More details - two fields with names of competitors in a tournament (Winner or Loser)

and i need to build a query to have all players names participating in the tournament regardless if they have won or lost in one list.

Filter uniques by using DISTINCT (look up in the help menu). If you have player names of one tournament in two different fields, the data is not normalized...I would say they should be in one column.

 

[OnziTam]

If you have player names of one tournament in two different fields, the data is not normalized

that is because the data is imported from excel spreadsheet

I did a lot of research on DISTINCT but the answer for me is union query:
SELECT winner FROM Table1
union
SELECT loser FROM Table1;

 

[rsmonkey]

Onzi you can still normalise the data by importing from an excel spreadsheets by writing an module to do the import for you! it will save you alot of heartache in the long run..

 

[OnziTam]

rsmonkey appreciate your advice but can I merge vertically column from Excel through the importation process. the thing is some players may have never won or other ( the champion) had never lost that is why I heed the names from both columns merged vertically in one field (column).