# Keyed table and Joins ...

**URL:** <https://forum.kx.com/t/keyed-table-and-joins/5546>\
**Category:** Community Support\
**Tags:** kdb-and-q\
**Created:** [April 17, 2008, 10:48am UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/keyed-table-and-joins/5546 "2008-04-17T10:48:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sudhan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@Sudhan](https://forum.kx.com/u/Sudhan)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 10:48am UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/keyed-table-and-joins/5546/1 "2008-04-17T10:48:00Z")

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I am trying to load fixed width data from files into tables and jointwo such tables.I have successfully loaded the fixed width data. It seems I need tounderstand the following before I make further progress:1- Do the PK cols always need to be in the front (beginning set ofcols)?2- After hacking the load to have PKs in the front, when I try to joinusing t1, t2 I get \> 'mismatch \< ; I have verified the cols are in thesame order in both tables and they are of same type (symbols)3- Can’t I just join two ‘non-keyed’ tables on arbitrary cols?Can someone enlighten me? Thanks in advance

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**Author:** ![f11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2bfe46/32.png) [@f11](https://forum.kx.com/u/f11)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/keyed-table-and-joins/5546/2 "2008-04-17T12:54:00Z")

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Sudhan,

&nbsp;

The below link contains the info you’re looking for:

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https://code.kx.com/trac/wiki/QforMortals2/queries\_q\_sql#Joins

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Regards,

&nbsp;

Fintan.