First Guide to SQL Anywhere Studio
   PART 3. Basic SQL
     CHAPTER 12. Selecting Data from Database Tables       

Ordering query results

Unless otherwise requested, the database server returns the rows of a table in no particular order. Often it is useful to look at the rows in a table in a more meaningful sequence. For example, you might like to see employees in alphabetical order.

The following example shows how adding an ORDER BY clause to the SELECT statement causes the results to be retrieved in alphabetical order.

  To list the employees in alphabetical order:

1. Type the following:

   SELECT * FROM employee ORDER BY emp_lname

emp_id	manager_id	emp_fname	emp_lname	dept_id
1751	1576	Alex	Ahmed	400
1013	703	Joseph	Barker	500
591	1576	Irene	Barletta	400
191	703	Jeannette	Bertrand	500
1336	1293	Janet	Bigelow	300

Notes 

The order of the clauses is important. The ORDER BY clause must follow the FROM clause and the SELECT clause.