[SOLVED] Show X characters?

[LemonInflux]

Say I call something from the database, like:

 

<?php

 

$sql = 'SELECT * FROM `blah`';

$result = mysql_query($sql);

while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)){

echo $row['lots_of_text'];

}

 

?>

 

My question is, is there a way for the code to display the first, say, 50 characters of lots_of_text, and then no more? Thanks in advance.

[pocobueno1388]

Give this a try

 

echo substr($row['lots_of_text'], 0, 50);

[AV1611]

Sure. 

 

if (strlen($row['lots_of_text']) <= 50)

  {

  echo $row['lots_of_text'];}

else{

  $str =  $row['lots_of_text'];

  $str =  substr($str,0,47);

  $str .= '...';}

 

Now it will cut it off at 47 chracters and add ... to the end so they know the string is incomplete.  You can even make the ... a hyperlink or put a balloon popup or whatever if they need to see the rest of the string.