How to query 10 random unique records in mysql database?

Question

Possible duplicate:
how to select random unique records each time an SQL query is executed

I have a database of this structure:

id int
image_name varchar(200)
category_id int

There are about 200 entries, id is unique, and there are about 20 categories, and my iamges are divided between them.

Could you help me get a query that will give me 10 entries using UNIQUE category_ids?

+5

pawel Aug 23 '12 at 8:20

3 answers

SELECT DISTINCT(category),id,image_name FROM images ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 10

+2

Nishant jani Aug 23 '12 at 8:26

SELECT DISTINCT category_id,id,image_name FROM images ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 10

+1

Anant dabhi Aug 23 '12 at 8:26

Mihai labo · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-23T08:22:52+0000

select DISTINCT(category),id,image_name FROM images 
  WHERE id=
    (FLOOR(RAND() * 
           (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM images )
          )
    );