Help with string manipulation

[R0CKY]

I'm trying to edit an existing php page so that it trims a string to 20 characters, but I cannot figure out how to do it (n00b).

The relevant loop is below..

[quote]
$show = "20";
$template = "<span class=\"style1\"> {number}.<a href=\"{filelink}\">{filename} </a></span><br>";
$i = 1;
while ($file = mysql_fetch_object($result)) {
$line = str_replace("{number}", $i, $template);
$line = str_replace("{filelink}", "$config[3]/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=$file->file_id", $line);
$line = str_replace("{[b]filename[/b]}", $file->file_name, $line);
if ($list == "newest") {  $infoline = str_replace("{date}", date("n/j/y", $file->file_time), $info); }
if ($list == "downloads") {$infoline = str_replace("{downloads}", $file->file_dls , $info); }
if ($list == "rating") {
$ntv = $file->file_totalvotes - 1;
$infoline = str_replace("{rating}", @round($file->file_rating/$ntv,2), $info);
$infoline = str_replace("{votes}", $ntv, $infoline);
}
$line = str_replace("{info}", $infoline, $line);
echo $line;
$i++;
}[/quote]

The part I need trimmed back to 20 chars is the filename, so that when the $line variable is output to the browser, the filename part is no longer than 20 chars - but I am not clued up on PHP so although I know I need to use SUBSTR, I do not know how to apply it in the above situation.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[obsidian]

Basically, once you have your filename, just apply substr() to it, and assign the result to a variable:
[code]
<?php
$filename = "mySuperLongFilenameWithWayTooManyCharacters";
$shortFile = substr($filename, 0, 20);
?>
[/code]

That's it!

[R0CKY]

Hmmm, your code has $filename, but my code does not have the $, it has {filename} - will it work the same, so my new code would change from

  $line = str_replace([b]"{filename}"[/b], $file->file_name, $line);

to
  $shortFile = substr($filename, 0, 20);
  $line = str_replace[b]($shortfile[/b], $file->file_name, $line);

I have a feeling that's not right...?

[trq]

[code=php:0]
$line = str_replace("{filename}", substr($file->file_name,0,20), $line);
[/code]

[R0CKY]

That worked Thorpe, thank you.

What is actually happening with this piece of code?

[b]$file->file_name[/b]

Is it a new string being created, and it's value coming from a sql field?

If anyone has the inclination, what I ultimately wanted to do with the output $line, was have it check the length of {filename} and if it was over 20, then trim it to 17, and add a string of three periods "...", that would be very cool.

Thanks again.

[trq]

[quote]Is it a new string being created, and it's value coming from a sql field?[/quote]

Pretty much.

Add this to the top of your file....

[code=php:0]
function trimlen($string) {
  if (len($string) > 20) {
    $string = substr($string,0,17).'...';
  }
  return $string
}
[/code]

Then, change the last line I gave you to....

[code=php:0]
$line = str_replace("{filename}", trimlen($file->file_name), $line);[/code]

[R0CKY]

I changed that line and added that code right under the <?php line, but something's not quite right, I am getting nil ouput now, just a blank page.  :(

[Jessica]

Missing a ;
[code]return $string;[/code].

If your page doesn't load, it can't compile.

[R0CKY]

Thank you Jesi, I feel we are getting closer, but I still get no output  :(

Here is the full page, with the added code in bold - something of which is stopping the page from executing.

[quote]<style type="text/css">
A:link {text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color:#CCCCCC} A:visited {text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;; color: #CCCCCC} A:active {text-decoration: none;} A:hover {text-decoration: underline; color:#00FF33;
}
body {
background-color: black;
font-family: Tahoma;
font-size: 8pt;
color: 00CC00
}
</style>
<?php
[b]function trimlen($string) {
  if (len($string) > 20) {
    $string = substr($string,0,17).'...';
  }
  return $string;
}[/b]
/*
  paFileDB 3.1
  ©2001/2002 PHP Arena
  Written by Todd
  todd@phparena.net
  http://www.phparena.net
  Keep all copyright links on the script visible
  Please read the license included with this script for more information.
*/
$path = "**removed**";
//This is the full system path to your paFileDB folder. You will need to obtain this information from a phpinfo.php file, or from your host.
$show = "20"; //How many files do you want to show on the list
$template = "<span class=\"style1\"> {number}.<a href=\"{filelink}\">{filename} </a></span><br>";
//Template for each line.
//Don't modify anything below this line.
require $path. "/includes/mysql.php";
$pafiledb_sql->connect($db);
$config = $pafiledb_sql->query($db,"SELECT * FROM $db[prefix]_settings",1);
switch ($list) {
case newest:
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM $db[prefix]_files ORDER BY file_time DESC LIMIT 0,$show ", 0);
$info = "Added on {date}";
break;
case downloads:
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM $db[prefix]_files ORDER BY file_dls DESC LIMIT 0,$show ", 0);
$info = "{downloads}";
break;
case rating:
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM $db[prefix]_files ORDER BY file_rating/(file_totalvotes - 0) DESC LIMIT 0,$show", 0);
$info = "{rating}/10 - {votes} Votes";
break;
default:
die("You didn't select the type of list to show. Please see the paFileDB manual for more information");
break;
}
$i = 1;
while ($file = mysql_fetch_object($result)) {
$line = str_replace("{number}", $i, $template);
$line = str_replace("{filelink}", "$config[3]/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=$file->file_id", $line);
[b]$line = str_replace("{filename}", trimlen($file->file_name), $line);[/b]
    //$line = str_replace("{filename}", $file->file_name, $line);
if ($list == "newest") {  $infoline = str_replace("{date}", date("n/j/y", $file->file_time), $info); }
if ($list == "downloads") {$infoline = str_replace("{downloads}", $file->file_dls , $info); }
if ($list == "rating") {
$ntv = $file->file_totalvotes - 1;
$infoline = str_replace("{rating}", @round($file->file_rating/$ntv,2), $info);
$infoline = str_replace("{votes}", $ntv, $infoline);
}
$line = str_replace("{info}", $infoline, $line);
echo $line;
$i++;
}
?>[/quote]

[obsidian]

len() is not a PHP function. You need to be using strlen() instead:
[code]
<?php
function trimlen($String, $len = 20) {
  if (strlen($String) > $len) {
    $String = substr($String, 0, ($len - 3)) . '...';
  }
  return $String;
}
?>
[/code]

Notice, I also set an optional $len variable in your function that defaults to 20. This way, when you call the function, you can designate how many characters you wish to display.

[R0CKY]

That's awesome Obsidian, many thanks!

WIP ->  http://www.ghostrecon.net/index-mods.html

You can see the list working now on the top right, thank you for getting past this sticking point!