How to request a random column in SQL?

Question

How can I request a random column (or as close to truly random as is possible) in pure SQL?

I want to select any one column randomly from a table.

I have searched lot regarding this on google.

Answer 1

Dependent on your DBMS the catalogue looks a bit different. For mysql you could get a random column like:

select column_name 
from information_schema.columns 
where table_schema = ? 
  and table_name = ? 
order by rand() limit 1;

and then incorporate that into your query. Other vendors may have a slightly different look of the catalogue, but the idea will be the same.

Why do you want to retrieve a random column?

Answer 2

USE [AdventureWorksDW2012]
GO

DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(MAX)

SELECT  [name]
FROM    sys.columns C WHERE C.object_id = OBJECT_ID('DimProduct')
AND     C.column_id = (
SELECT  ((ABS(CHECKSUM(NEWID()))% COUNT(*)) + 1)
FROM    sys.columns C 
WHERE   C.object_id = OBJECT_ID('DimProduct'))

This may help you, It is done with SQL Server. Here you are randomly selecting a column of table [DimProduct]

Result1:

Result2: