MySQL Select Statement to pull Cetain Rows

[n1concepts]

Hi,

I'm trying to define a query that will only pull results for rows where only a specific action is defined for said column (Process) where the 'Action' is 'idle'. Note: if any process as other actions logged, other than 'idle' for any rows of data, then that process should NOT be included in the results at all - only those that do NOT have additional rows logged as 'started' or 'complete'.

For example: I need to define the MySQL query that will ONLY parse results that include id 5, 8, 12 being those only show 'Action' of 'idle'.
Being all the rest have multple 'Actions' of 'started' or 'complete' - ids: 1,2,3,4,6,7,9,10,11 - then they should be excluded in the 'SELECT' results.

==============================
Id              Process                   Action

1                Filter                         idle

2                Drain                         idle

3                Swell                         idle

4                Filter                       started

5                Stretch                      idle

6                Filter                     complete

7                Drain                       started

8                Spread                      idle

9                Swell                       started

10              Swell                     complete

11              Drain                     complete

12              Plant                         idle

==============================

 

I played around with the 'SELECT' statement (defining where 'action != started', etc...) but it pulls the row matching 'idle' - even for those having other actions logged.

 

Again: that's my problem - not sure how to define the logic to exclude those (I even tried subquery to pull all matching 'started' or 'complete' then insert in later query to 'NOT' match on those results but it takes forever to finish the query so know that's not correct. Note: each of the logs have a timestamp - I excluded that column but is apart of each record (just fyi...)

I would appreciate some guidance on figuring this out as I'm not sure if 'Case' the correct way to define this logic nor how to defined the query using such... - ensuring any 'process' linked to any other 'Action' other then 'idle' is excluded in the results. Thanks in advance!

[Barand]

SELECT n.id, n.process, n.action

FROM n1concepts n

LEFT JOIN

    (

    SELECT process

    FROM n1concepts

    WHERE `action` <> 'idle'

    ) as notidle USING (process)

WHERE n.action = 'idle' AND notidle.process IS NULL

 

Edited December 27, 2013 by Barand