What is the best way to retrieve distinct / unique values using SPQuery?

Question

I have a list that looks like:

Movie          Year
-----          ----
Fight Club     1999
The Matrix     1999
Pulp Fiction   1994

Using CA

Answer 1

There is no DISTINCT in CAML to populate your dropdown try using something like:

foreach (SPListItem listItem in listItems)
    {
        if ( null == ddlYear.Items.FindByText(listItem["Year"].ToString()) )
       {
                   ListItem ThisItem = new ListItem();
                   ThisItem.Text = listItem["Year"].ToString();
                   ThisItem.Value = listItem["Year"].ToString();
                   ddlYear.Items.Add(ThisItem);
        }
   }

Assumes your dropdown is called ddlYear.