How to Sort MySQL Rows Numerically Based on Textual Identifiers with Embedded Numbers?

Extracting Numeric Values from Textual Identifiers in MySQL

Sorting text-based columns with mixed numeric and non-numeric values can be challenging. A common scenario involves identifier columns using the "name-number" format. To prioritize numerical ordering, extracting the numeric component becomes essential.

To achieve this in a MySQL query, you can utilize the following approach:

SELECT field, CONVERT(SUBSTRING_INDEX(field, '-', -1), UNSIGNED INTEGER) AS num
FROM table
ORDER BY num;

This query performs the following steps:

1. Extract the numeric component: Using the SUBSTRING_INDEX function, you split the field string at the last occurrence of '-', isolating the numeric portion.
2. Convert to integer: The CONVERT function converts the extracted numeric substring into an unsigned integer, allowing for numeric sorting.
3. Order by numeric component: The ORDER BY clause arranges the rows in ascending order based on the converted numeric values.

This approach is reliable even if the name part of the identifier does not contain any numbers. It effectively separates the numeric component and enables the sorting desired. By extracting and converting the numeric portion, you can accurately order the rows according to their numeric values, regardless of the character order of the overall identifiers.

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