NTH_VALUE

Syntax

Description of the illustration nth_value.eps

See Also:

"Analytic Functions" for information on syntax, semantics, and restrictions of the analytic_clause

Purpose

NTH_VALUE returns the measure_expr value of the nth row in the window defined by the analytic_clause. The returned value has the data type of the measure_expr.

{RESPECT | IGNORE} NULLS determines whether null values of measure_expr are included in or eliminated from the calculation. The default is RESPECT NULLS.
n determines the nth row for which the measure value is to be returned. n can be a constant, bind variable, column, or an expression involving them, as long as it resolves to a positive integer. The function returns NULL if the data source window has fewer than n rows. If n is null, then the function returns an error.
FROM {FIRST | LAST} determines whether the calculation begins at the first or last row of the window. The default is FROM FIRST.

If you omit the windowing_clause of the analytic_clause, it defaults to RANGE BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW. This default sometimes returns an unexpected value for NTH_VALUE ... FROM LAST ... , because the last value in the window is at the bottom of the window, which is not fixed. It keeps changing as the current row changes. For expected results, specify the windowing_clause as RANGE BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING. Alternatively, you can specify the windowing_clause as RANGE BETWEEN CURRENT ROW AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING.

See Also:

Oracle Database Data Warehousing Guide for more information on the use of this function
Appendix C in Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide for the collation derivation rules, which define the collation assigned to the return value of NTH_VALUE when it is a character value

Examples

The following example shows the minimum amount_sold value for the second channel_id in ascending order for each prod_id between 13 and 16:

SELECT prod_id, channel_id, MIN(amount_sold),
    NTH_VALUE(MIN(amount_sold), 2) OVER (PARTITION BY prod_id ORDER BY channel_id
    ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING) nv
  FROM sales
  WHERE prod_id BETWEEN 13 and 16
  GROUP BY prod_id, channel_id;

   PROD_ID CHANNEL_ID MIN(AMOUNT_SOLD)         NV
---------- ---------- ---------------- ----------
        13          2           907.34      906.2
        13          3            906.2      906.2
        13          4           842.21      906.2
        14          2          1015.94    1036.72
        14          3          1036.72    1036.72
        14          4           935.79    1036.72
        15          2           871.19     871.19
        15          3           871.19     871.19
        15          4           871.19     871.19
        16          2           266.84     266.84
        16          3           266.84     266.84
        16          4           266.84     266.84
        16          9            11.99     266.84

13 rows selected.