Lordy, don't change the column names. You can alias the name with AS in most SQL dialects: 
SELECT p.gene_id, s.gene_id AS SecGene, ...

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If the gene_id in the second table is a foreign key into the primary table, you really want it to have the same name, for your and everyone elses sanity. I gotta ask, is the gene_id field the field that you use to tie the two tables together? If so, and you have: 

... FROM primary LEFT JOIN secondary ON primary.gene_id=secondary.gene
+_id ...

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in your select, then you really shouldn't ask for anything but the primary.gene_id from the left side of the join.

In reply to Re: How do I get "table.column" format from a select/join? by extremely
in thread How do I get "table.column" format from a select/join? by Anonymous Monk

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