SQL: linking two different columns in one

Question

I need to link 2 tables in one big table. My problem is that I need to link 2 different columns (in example: books, toys) in one column (things). Other columns:

• if they are in both tables, then they are in one column in every row (in example: price)
• if they are in one table, then in rows with data from other table have null (in example: cover, name).

Example: table 1:

books cover price
----- ----- ------
book1 soft  19
book2 soft  23
book3 hard  39

table2:

toys  name price
----  ---- -----
astro Buzz 29
mouse Jerr 35

Result:

things name cover price
------ ---- ----- -----
book1  null soft  19
book2  null soft  23
book3  null hard  39
astro  Buzz null  29
mouse  Jerr null  35

Answer 1

You could use the Cross Apply like this using your exmaple

select * from table1 cross apply table2

or you could use the UNION ALL

SELECT books as 'THINGS', NULL as 'NAME', COVER, PRICE
FROM table1
UNION ALL
SELECT toys 'THINGS', NAME, NULL 'COVER', PRICE
FROM table2

Answer 2

How about a simple UNION:

select books as things, null as name, cover, price
from table1
union
select toys as things, name, null as cover, price from table2

Answer 3

You can try using a UNION ALL more info here

Something like this:

SELECT books "things", NULL "name", cover, price
FROM table1
UNION ALL
SELECT toys "things", name , NULL "cover", price
FROM table2