title: "JOIN expression not supported" in Access, how to edit query
body: <p>I have a query in an Access 2010 database that looks roughly like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>select * from (table1 inner join table2 on table1.city = table2.code)
     inner join table3 on table3.col1 = table2.col1 and table3.col2 = table2.col2;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The query is used in a report, which works fine (I can run the report and get the data). However, when I try to open the query (in either datasheet or design view), I get <strong>JOIN expression not supported</strong>.</p>
  
  <p>I know what that means—nested JOINs as well as long ON conditions need to be placed in parentheses. The following would work:</p>
  
  <pre><code>select * from (table1 inner join table2 on table1.city = table2.code)
     inner join table3 on (table3.col1 = table2.col1 and table3.col2 = table2.col2);
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Now here's the catch: When I save the query and open it later, <strong>Access removes the parentheses again.</strong> As a result, I get the same error again. The Access GUI doesn't provide a way to open the query in SQL view directly, and opening it in Design or Datasheet view gives the error before I have a chance to fix the SQL code. (In datasheet view, the data displays, with the error dialog appearing on top of it, and closes as soon as I click OK.)</p>
  
  <p><strong>How can I get at the SQL code of my query in this situation?</strong></p>