Help with a summary script

[Fallen_angel]

Hi I need a bit of help with a script I have

I what I basicly want to do is have a short summary pulled from one of my database fields
the database field itself can have 10,000 charictors in it , however I only want to return 250 charictors to be returned  so that it can be used as a description in the bellow search script

I have looked around but I can't find a way that I can simply just limit the number of charictors the results return . I know it can be done because I have seen it done but just don't know how to do it


bellow is my code so far , anyone that can help I would really apreciate it

[code]
<?php
//Connect To database
include "connect.php";
$id = $_GET['id'];
//collects Data
$data=mysql_query(" SELECT * FROM DB where s_id='$id' ")
or die(mysql_error());
Print "<table class='print_list_alpha' border=0px style=border-bottom:1px;>" ;
while ($info= mysql_fetch_array($data) )
{
Print "<tr><td><img src=./uploads/mini_thumbs/".$info['img']."></td><td><table><tr><td><a href=../guide/report.php?id=".$info['s_id']."><b>".$info['name']."</b></a></td><tr><td> ".$info[notes'] ."</td></tr></table>";
}
Print "</table>" ;
?>[/code]

Thanx to anyone that can help

[trq]

As an example.

[code]
SELECT SUBSTRING(fld,0,250) FROM tbl WHERE id = '3';
[/code]

Also note, using the wildcard * is considered bad practice Its more work for the database and can become considerably less maintainable.

[Fallen_angel]

Ok well i think I have it semi working I think however I may be calling it incorrectly ,

would I still use ".$info['fieldname']."  to call the contained info ?  or does it change because I used a substring ,

atm All I get is no summary at all , no errors and everything else loads ok so I'm guessing it's the way I am calling in on the page

I have also replaced the * with the specific fields that I need thankyou very much for that extra tip :)

here is what my code looks like now
[code]
<?php
//Connect To database
include "connect.php";
$id = $_GET['id'];
//collects Data
$data=mysql_query("SELECT SUBSTRING(description,0,250) s_id,name,rating,img FROM DB where name LIKE '$id%'ORDER by 'name'")
or die(mysql_error());
Print "<table class='print_list_alpha' border=0px style=border-bottom:1px;>" ;
while ($info= mysql_fetch_array($data) )
{
Print "<tr style=background-color:#E9F3EA;><td><img src=./uploads/mini_thumbs/".$info['img']."></td><td background-color=#E9F3EA><table><tr><td><a href=../strainguide/page.php?id=".$info['s_id']."><b>".$info['name']."</b></a></td><tr><td> ".$info['notes'] ."</td></tr></table>";
}
Print "</table>" ;
?>
[/code]

thanx in advance for any help people can give  :)

[Fallen_angel]

He he I feel silly but I got it workign now for any one that wants to see the script it is now as follows

[code]<?php
//Connect To database
include "connect.php";
$id = $_GET['id'];
//collects Data
$data=mysql_query("SELECT s_id,name,rating,img,description FROM strains where name LIKE '$id%'ORDER by 's_name'")
or die(mysql_error());
Print "<table class='print_list_alpha' border=0px style=border-bottom:1px;>" ;
while ($info= mysql_fetch_array($data) )
{
Print "<tr style=background-color:#E9F3EA;><td><img src=./uploads/mini_thumbs/".$info['img']."></td><td background-color=#E9F3EA><table><tr><td><a href=../strainguide/page.php?id=".$info['s_id']."><b>".$info['name']."</b></a></td><tr><td> " ;
Print substr($info['description'],0,250); Print "</td></tr></table>";
}
Print "</table>" ;
?>
[/code]

thankyou very much for your assistance :)