problem in the sequence of records in sql server

[arun_rashmi]

In EMP table when I execute the syntax
Select * from emp where ename in('king','Allen','Blair','Tony')
it gives the output in the same sequence of names as stored in table e.g first allen,tony,king and then blair. But I require the output in the same sequence same as in query as king,allen,blair and then tony.
In Oracle I can do it by Decode function but in SQL server there is no DECODE function.
Please help

[rbouissou]

You could write your own DECODE function as a stored procedure in a sql/server database and then use it as with Oracle.

By the way, would you explain how you do it with a DECODE?

Bye, Rayd

[kmesser]

select . . .
order by decode(field_to_order_by,'first_in_order',1,'second_in_order',2,3);

[arun_rashmi]

I got it. I used CASE to solve this problem.

select ename from emp where ename= CASE
WHEN 'james' THEN '1'
WHEN 'king' THEN '2'
WHEN 'allen' THEN '3'
WHEN 'clark' THEN '4'
END in('1','2','3','4') order by CASE ename
WHEN 'james' THEN '1'
WHEN 'king' THEN '2'
WHEN 'allen' THEN '3'
WHEN 'clark' THEN '4'
END


Thanks for all