We are having problems displaying random results from our database.

THE WANTED OUTCOME:
We need to distinctivly randomly retrieve 3 results from our table.

THE CODE:
THE PROBLEM:
The query is selecting the top 3 distinct results ... then randomizing them. We need the opposite. We need to select 3 random rows then limit them by 3.

MySQL Version 4.1

Please help! Thanks!!

you must approach this problem from two different directions

first, let us discuss what you mean by distinct

since each banner has a distinct id, you are always going to get three distinct banners

so obviously, you must mean something else, right?

Whoops, I am sorry. I have two ID's. A banner ID (which is the primary key) and the advertisers_id (which gives relation to the advertisers table)

I need to select 3 distinct rows BY unique/distinct advertisers_id

we need to be a bit more precise

you want 3 banners, but each from a different advertiser, correct?

so it is the 3 advertisers that must be unique, not the banners