SQL Server has a CHOOSE() function that returns a list item at a given position. MySQL also has an equivalent function, but with a different name.

In MySQL, the ELT() function does essentially the same thing that CHOOSE() does in SQL Server. It allows you to find the list item at a given position within the list.

Example

Here’s an example:

SELECT ELT(3, 'Cat', 'Dog', 'Horse') AS 'Result';

Result:

+--------+
| Result |
+--------+
| Horse  |
+--------+

You can also use numbers, and you can return values from a database and match them with your own list.

The SQL Server Version

Here’s how you’d do the above example in SQL Server:

SELECT CHOOSE(3, 'Cat', 'Dog', 'Horse') AS 'Result';

Result:

Result
------
Horse 

So the only difference is the function name.

For more examples, see How to Find a List Item at a Specified Position in MySQL.