db select syntax

[eluser]jakeone[/eluser]
I'm trying to extract the first 200 characters from a larger field in MySQL (v 5.1.36) The raw SQL works:

Code:

SELECT LEFT( detail, 200 )FROM bids AS summary

. But when I try this:

Code:

$this->db->select("bids.bidID, bids.detail, LEFT(bids.detail, 200) AS summary");

I get a "database error. Error No. 1064" message as follows:

Code:

You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'AS summary...

Any ideas?

[eluser]flaky[/eluser]

Code:

$this->db->select("bids.bidID, bids.detail, LEFT(bids.detail, 200)");
$this->db->from('bids AS summary');
$this->db->get();