Neo4j - NOT IN query

Question

The graph schema I have is (actors)-[:ACTED_IN]->(movies).

I know how to find actors who have worked with a particular actor as below:

MATCH (actor {name:"Tom Hanks"} )-[:ACTED_IN]->(movies)<-[:ACTED_IN]-(costars) return distinct costars;

I know how to find all the actors who have worked in some movie: MATCH (all_actor)-[:ACTED_IN]->(movies) return distinct all_actor;

However I don't know how to find all actors not in costars. How do I go about it?

Solution

As you want to deduct the coactors from the global list of actors this is not the best graph query, here are some suggestions.

// Max de Marzi
MATCH (actor:Actor {name:"Tom Hanks"})-[:ACTED_IN]->(movie), (other:Actor)
WHERE NOT (movie)<-[:ACTED_IN]-(other)
RETURN other

// Wes Freeman
MATCH (actor:Actor {name:"Tom Hanks"}), (other:Actor)
WHERE NOT (actor)-[:ACTED_IN]->()<-[:ACTED_IN]-(other)
RETURN other


// Michael Hunger
MATCH (actor:Actor {name:"Tom Hanks"} )-[:ACTED_IN]->(movies)<-[:ACTED_IN]-(coactor)
WITH collect(distinct coactor) as coactors
MATCH (actor:Actor)
WHERE NOT actor IN coactors
RETURN actor

Comments

[Jack]

NOT IN did not work for me. however using <> gave me the desired result

[Gondil]

I think WHERE NOT actor IN coactors is right. Am I wrong? Your version doesn't work Michael

[Merrick]

WHERE NOT thing IN list worked for me too. Thanks @Gondil

[Benjamin R]

@michael-hunger WHERE NOT thing IN list works correct, but it's awful syntax. Why doesn't cypher not support WHERE thing NOT IN list, also?