Returning only part of a text

[creativkook]

If I wanted to return only part of a text entry in a database, for instance 50 words of a four paragraph entry as a sort of lead-in, is that possible?  I can't seem to find a query for it.  Does anyone know of one?

[redarrow]

substr

[creativkook]

Where do I place that?  Would it go after order by, where in the mysql query?  Could someone give me an example?  Thanks!

[ShogunWarrior]

Say that your query returns a field named "text" then you might do this:

while($row  = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
  $shortened = substr($row['text'],0,50);
}

Now shortened is the first 50 chars of "text".