Microsoft Query to pull external data?

Does anyone know of a site that details the SQL syntax that can be used with Microsoft Query?

Seems to be more limited than the SQL I am used to in Oracle. I am using ODBC to bring data from an Oracle database and the queries I usually run don't always work with MS Query. For example here is a SQL statement that gives me an error:

select
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'YYYY') as year,
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'MM') as month,
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'WW') as week,
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'MM/DD/YYYY') as day,
c.cust_id,
sum(bh.tot_weight)
from customer_grid c, book_hdr bh, addresses a
where bh.cust_id = c.cust_id
and bh.ADDR_ID = a.ADDR_ID
and trunc(bh.modify_tstamp) between to_date('11/01/2006', 'MM/DD/YYYY') and to_date('04/15/2007', 'MM/DD/YYYY')
and c.cust_id not in ('87466', '82364', '125465')
and c.company_no <> '18'
group by to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'YYYY'),
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'MM'),
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'WW'),
to_char(trunc(bh.modify_tstamp), 'MM/DD/YYYY'),
c.cust_id,

I get the error "From keyword not where expected".

Not sure if the following are the problem:
-Using the <> for "not equal to"?
-The date formats perhaps (WW, MM/DD/YYY, MM, etc)
-Something with the group by statement?

Any help is appreciated.

I've done a lot of Oracle data access via MS Access & VBA recently and found the various syntax very fussy. Have had to put ( ) in several place that I did not expect.

It's not clear from your post where the SQL is being executed.

HTH

****

I went to "Import External Data" > "New Database Query" Then chose oracle as the Data Source.

I exited from the Query Wizard and instead opened up my own SQL window in MS Query. I then copied a query that I run through Oracle and paste it in the window. I try to run it in there, with the purpose of sending it back to Excel. This works for some queries, but my more complex ones I get random errors that I have to debug with no direction on the problem

I did some debugging and realized that MS Query doesn't like me renaming columns (i.e. cant say 'SELECT ORDER_DATA as Orders,). Also learned that I can't keep the comments in. That helped.

Was still hoping to find a good resource that explains the syntax that does and does not work. I looked on Google for awhile and couldn't find a thing, figured I would try the forums.

Thanks

There is much query with MS Query for me too.
The 'as name' expression does not work when I connect to
dbf-files. That's true.
As to Oracle, I know o good way to solve this in MS SQLServer.
You can use stored procedures and views.

I cannot answer your question about why the error appears, but I have found on some on my MS Query embedded links, that the error message doesn't appear if I don't name the columns within the query (the "as ..." part).

By taking this out, my queries have generally worked ok. If necessary, I just execute a macro to change the column headings on completion.

If anyone can suggest why this occurs, I would be interested.

Try as 'Year', as 'Month' and so on.

Thanks for the follow-up. I wound up getting more reliant on Views, something I hadn't previously used very often.

I will try the quotes technique though, thanks