[GIS] QGIS List Unique Values tool only exports to .html format

Question

Using QGIS 2.16.2 I would like to export the unique values in a shapefile string attribute field to a new database table (which would contain a single field listing the unique values). The Vector > Analysis Tools > List Unique Values tool correctly selects the unique values, but the only output option is an .html file. Is there some way to output to a .dbf, or .csv format?

The shapefile is a line format, so the Dissolve tool does not work (it requires a polygon input), as described in Getting list of distinct values from shapefile field using QGIS?

Answer 1

Go to DB Manager -> Virtual Layers -> QGIS layers, click on SQL Window button (or press F2), and write the next SQL expression:

SELECT DISTINCT your_field FROM your_layer ORDER BY your_field;

Once you get the result table, click on Load as new layer, uncheck Geometry column, and click on Load now!.

Now you have a table layer in QGIS, which you can export with right click -> Save As... to a CSV file, for example.