Union Query syntax problem (alias issue?)

[Hinfer]

The code below (see code that doesn't work) gives me a error "syntax error in union". Once I click ok it highlight the bracket in ") as Q1".

The strange thing is if I break this query apart then it works. There must be something wrong with my syntax surrounding the aliasing. I would like to keep it together if I can. Any help would be appreciated.

//code that doesn't work
SELECT 
AssignmentPositions.Employee
FROM
[
SELECT Q1.Employee, Q1.StartDate, Min(Q1.EndDate) AS EndDate
    FROM (
              SELECT Position.Employee as Employee,  Position.StartDate as StartDate, Position.EndDate as EndDate
              FROM [Position] 
             UNION ALL
             SELECT Assignment.Employee as Employee, Assignment.StartDate as StartDate, Assignment.EndDate as EndDate
             FROM Assignment
             ) as Q1
   GROUP BY Q1.Employee, Q1.StartDate
   ORDER BY Q1.StartDate
]. AS AssignmentPositions

//Code that works
SELECT Position.Employee as Employee,  Position.StartDate as StartDate, Position.EndDate as EndDate
              FROM [Position] 
             UNION ALL
             SELECT Assignment.Employee as Employee, Assignment.StartDate as StartDate, Assignment.EndDate as EndDate
             FROM Assignment
             ) as Q1
   GROUP BY Q1.Employee, Q1.StartDate
   ORDER BY Q1.StartDate

 

[PCLewis]

The query builder does that to your raw SQL when you paste it in there. It puts the inner Select into a [ ]. construct instead of leaving it in ( )

Your first query will work if you replace the '[' after the FROM with '(' and the '].' before 'AS AssignmentPositions' with ')'

 

[Hinfer]

Thanks again. (I should have tried that - d'oh)