SQL update query using joins

Adapting this to MySQL -- there is no FROM clause in UPDATE, but this works:

UPDATE
    item_master im
    JOIN
    group_master gm ON im.sku=gm.sku 
    JOIN
    Manufacturer_Master mm ON gm.ManufacturerID=mm.ManufacturerID
SET
    im.mf_item_number = gm.SKU --etc
WHERE
    im.mf_item_number like 'STA%'
    AND
    gm.manufacturerID=34

One of the easiest way is to use a common table expression (since you're already on SQL 2005):

with cte as (
select
    im.itemid
    ,im.sku as iSku
    ,gm.SKU as GSKU
    ,mm.ManufacturerId as ManuId
    ,mm.ManufacturerName
    ,im.mf_item_number
    ,mm.ManufacturerID
    , <your other field>
from 
    item_master im, group_master gm, Manufacturer_Master mm 
where
    im.mf_item_number like 'STA%'
    and im.sku=gm.sku
    and gm.ManufacturerID = mm.ManufacturerID
    and gm.manufacturerID=34)
update cte set mf_item_number = <your other field>

The query execution engine will figure out on its own how to update the record.

UPDATE im
SET mf_item_number = gm.SKU --etc
FROM item_master im
JOIN group_master gm
    ON im.sku = gm.sku 
JOIN Manufacturer_Master mm
    ON gm.ManufacturerID = mm.ManufacturerID
WHERE im.mf_item_number like 'STA%' AND
      gm.manufacturerID = 34

To make it clear... The UPDATE clause can refer to an table alias specified in the FROM clause. So im in this case is valid

Generic example

UPDATE A
SET foo = B.bar
FROM TableA A
JOIN TableB B
    ON A.col1 = B.colx
WHERE ...

Did not use your sql above but here is an example of updating a table based on a join statement.

UPDATE p
SET    p.category = c.category
FROM   products p
       INNER JOIN prodductcatagories pg
            ON  p.productid = pg.productid
       INNER JOIN categories c
            ON  pg.categoryid = c.cateogryid
WHERE  c.categories LIKE 'whole%'