mysql - Get values from first sorted member of grouped(?) sql query -

i feel obvious i'm struggling. must because it's monday.

i have licenses table in mysql has fields id (int), start_date (date), licensable_id (int), licensable_type (string) , fixed_end_point (boolean).

i want licenses start date equal or less today, group them licensable_id , licensable_type, , recently starting one can fixed_end_point field out of it, along licensable_id , licensable_type.

this i'm trying:

select licensable_id, licensable_type, fixed_end_point licenses start_date <= "2016-08-01" group licensable_id, licensable_type order start_date desc; 

at moment, order by field seems being ignored, , it's returning values first license each group, rather recent. can see i'm doing wrong? need make nested query?

you shouldn't thinking group by. want select recent start_date each license, given constraints in question. 1 method uses correlated subquery:

select l.* licenses l l.start_date = (select max(l2.start_date)                       licenses l2                       l2.licensable_id = l.licensable_id ,                             l2.licensable_type = l.licensable_type ,                             l2.start_date <= '2016-08-01'                      );