Interesting error coming up from my SQL code in query

[jakenh]

I have 2 tables: Doc4 and Total. In each of these 2 tables I have a column called "University". I'm trying to perform a JOIN on these by using the following code:

SELECT *
FROM Doc4
JOIN Total
ON Doc4.University = Total.University

When I run the query I am getting the error "Syntax error in FROM clause. Any ideas why? I have also tried

SELECT University 
FROM Doc4
JOIN Total
ON Doc4.University = Total.University

But that is raising the same error.

[orange]

Try INNER JOIN, but TOTAL is probably a reserved word.

[jakenh]

I changed Total to Main-Table and changed JOIN to INNER JOIN and I'm still getting the same error.

[orange]

Show us some sample data in your tables.

[jakenh]

Doc4 University
ALEXANDRIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
ARCHER HIGH SCHOOL
ASA, THE COLLEGE FOR EXCELLENCE
AVERY HILL COLLEGE
BAUDER COLLEGE
BETHEL SEMINARY ST PAUL

Main-Table

University
Unlisted College
McLennan Community College
McMurry University
Texas St Tech College Waco
Texas St Tech College West Texas
Total College Transfer Hours
Univ Of Utah

[orange]

??? When you join tables, you are matching of equal values of the fields involved.

.....Doc4
INNER JOIN Total
ON Doc4.University = Total.University

is saying

Get me info from t1 joined to t2 where the value in the University field is the same in both tables.

Perhaps you should tell us in very simple English WJHAT you are trying to accomplish.

It appears you have misunderstood the meaning/purpose of JOIN (INNER JOIN)

[jakenh]

In both Doc4 table and Main-Table there is a column for University. In Main-Table, University column has about 16,000 values. In Doc4, University has about 3,000. Some of the 3,000 in Doc4 are duplicates of those in Main-Table. Basically I would like to merge these two tables into one table, combining similar universities.

[orange]

And which table is to have the merged result.

Do you not have any other fields in your table eg an Id field PK?

[jakenh]

Sorry for the late reply. The table "Main-Table" is to have the merged result. I have fields in Doc4 that differed from Main-Table, so I made the fields in Main-Table but didn't fill any values in for them.

[orange]

INSERT INTO [Main-Table]
SELECT   University
FROM [Total]
WHERE  [University] Not In (Select university from [Main-Table]  );