How to set a default row for a query that returns no rows?

Question

I need to know how to return a default row if no rows exist in a table. What would be the best way to do this? I\'m only returning a single column from this particular table

Answer 1

Insert your default values into a table variable, then update this tableVar's single row with a match from your actual table. If a row is found, tableVar will be updated; if not, the default value remains. Return the table variable.

    ---=== The table & its data
    CREATE TABLE dbo.Rates (
        PkId int,
        name varchar(10),
        rate decimal(10,2)
    )
    INSERT INTO dbo.Rates(PkId, name, rate) VALUES (1, 'Schedule 1', 0.1)
    INSERT INTO dbo.Rates(PkId, name, rate) VALUES (2, 'Schedule 2', 0.2)

Here's the solution:

---=== The solution 
CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.GetRate 
  @PkId int
AS
BEGIN
  DECLARE @tempTable TABLE (
    PkId int, 
    name varchar(10), 
    rate decimal(10,2)
 )

 --- [1] Insert default values into @tempTable. PkId=0 is dummy value  
 INSERT INTO @tempTable(PkId, name, rate) VALUES (0, 'DEFAULT', 0.00)

 --- [2] Update the single row in @tempTable with the actual value.
 ---     This only happens if a match is found
 UPDATE @tempTable
    SET t.PkId=x.PkId, t.name=x.name, t.rate = x.rate
    FROM @tempTable t INNER JOIN dbo.Rates x
    ON t.PkId = 0
    WHERE x.PkId = @PkId

 SELECT * FROM @tempTable
END

Test the code:

EXEC dbo.GetRate @PkId=1     --- returns values for PkId=1
EXEC dbo.GetRate @PkId=12314 --- returns default values