> >
> >
> > The aliases A, B and C are no mystery, are they?; One can just look at the FROM clause. 'View SQL' in the Query/View Designer, or DBGetProp('viewname,'VIEW','SQL')
> >
> >

FROM Table1 AS T1  
> >  JOIN Table2 AS T2 ON T1.key=T3.key 
> >  JOIN Table3 AS T3 ON .. 

> >
> > Technically, there's no problem with using single-letter query aliases in VFP but the letters A to J should be avoided (and don't work in VFP's Query/View Designer).
> >
> > In the case of self-joins you just have to employ table aliases
> > FROM Customers AS C1 JOIN Customers AS C2 ON C1.col1 >= C2.col2
> >
> >
> >
> > Cheers
> > Anders
>
> Personally, I find it confusing.
>
> Regards
> Tushar


Hi Tushar,
Consider manually creating a four-table join with 20 columns in the select list, one correlated subquery, a GROUP BY on two columns, a WHERE clause for 5 columns + an ORDER BY over three columns. The table names average 10 characters.
Columns: 20 * 10
Correlated subq: 2 * 10
ON clauses: 6 * 10
WHERE: 5 * 10
GROUP BY: 2 * 10
ORDER BY: 3 * 10
Sum = 38*10=380 characters to type.
Using one-letter table aliases. 38 characters to type , and to read.
If these are upper case and the column references lower case, they stand out well in the text, for maximum readability.

If you submitted such a query with full table name repeated 38 times for publication in a magazine or book, I'm sure the knowledgable editor would demand a rewrite.

-Anders