Strange behaviour in certain MySQL queries

I've encountered a problem in EasyPHP 2.0b1 with MySQL queries using both left joins and aliases.
for example, if I have this query:

SELECT a.*,b.field1,c.field2
FROM table1 AS a, table2 AS b
LEFT JOIN table3 AS c ON c.id=a.idtable3
WHERE a.id='x' AND b.id=a.field3

I get this error:

#1054 - Unknown column 'a.idtable3' in 'on clause'

even if that field DOES exist!
While if I switch the FROM argument like this: 'FROM table2 AS b, table1 AS a' the query works correctly.
Does anyone know the reason of this beavior? Is it just a MySQL bug?
NOTE: this didn't happen in EasyPHP 1.9

--
Luciano S.
luciano AT allforweb DOT biz

With recent mysql version, the sql language compliancy has been enforced. Therefore, when you write:

SELECT a.* FROM table1 a
LEFT JOIN table2 b ON b.key = a.key
LEFT JOIN table3 c ON c.key = b.key

It is understood as:
SELECT a.* FROM table1 a
LEFT JOIN (table2 b ON b.key = a.key
LEFT JOIN table3 c ON c.key = b.key)

And what you want is:
SELECT a.* FROM ((table1 a
LEFT JOIN table2 b ON b.key = a.key)
LEFT JOIN table3 c ON c.key = a.key)

In other words, without parenthesis, you get:
table1 x T2 having T2 = table2 x table3

where you want
T1 x table3 having T1 = table1 x table2



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2008 12:22PM by ptirhiik.

thank you very much!
your help has been invaluable..

--
Luciano S.
luciano AT allforweb DOT biz