IF Statement Usage in MySQL SELECT Queries

While attempting to implement an IF statement within a MySQL SELECT query, you may encounter difficulties due to the specific syntax requirements. In MySQL, the conventional IF/THEN/ELSE structure is exclusively available within stored procedures and functions.

To resolve this issue, it's crucial to restructure your query. The IF() function supported in queries is predominantly intended for data selection based on conditions within the SELECT clause, rather than controlling the WHERE clause flow.

For example, the following demonstrates a valid IF() usage in SELECT:

SELECT IF(JQ.COURSE_ID = 0, 'Some Result If True', 'Some Result If False'), OTHER_COLUMNS
FROM ...
WHERE ...

Remember that the WHERE clause evaluates conditions to filter the results, while IF() is employed to specify different results based on those conditions within the SELECT clause.