mysql - removed, apparently stackoverflow is not a place for theory discussions -

removed, apparently stackoverflow not place theory discussions

if understand correctly, question:

you don't have access order function have set of values , (and monotonically increasing 1) rownumbers , want sorted return.

you missing important point sql: tables represent unordered sets. result set unordered unless explicitly specify ordering using order by.

subqueries -- correlated or otherwise -- not affect ordering in consistent , dependable way. if want "a sorted return" have use order by.