How Can I Sort MySQL Results by a Specific Order of IDs Using ORDER BY?

Sorting in MySQL Using Specific ID Values with Order By

To achieve sorting based on a predefined set of ID values using the "order by" clause in MySQL, employ the FIELD function as follows:

SELECT * FROM table ORDER BY FIELD(ID,1,5,4,3)

where "table" represents the targeted table.

Understanding the FIELD Function

The FIELD function returns the position of a specified value within a given list of values. In this example, the value of the "ID" column is compared against the provided list of ID values (1, 5, 4, and 3). The result is the index of the matching ID value within the list, and the records are sorted based on these indices.

Applications

Using this approach, you can ensure that records are retrieved in a specific order based on the provided ID values. This is particularly useful when you require a predetermined sorting sequence that is not based on the actual values of the ID column.

Alternative Approach to Address Pagination Issue

The original question also raised a concern regarding pagination, where sorting changes while users are browsing multiple pages. To address this, consider adding a timestamp or sequence number column to the table. Upon visit, store the current timestamp or sequence number in a session variable. When retrieving subsequent pages, sort using this timestamp or sequence number instead of the ID column. This way, users will retrieve the same sorted results until a new timestamp or sequence number is generated.

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