limit number of characters

[error_22]

I want to limit the numbers of characters, but i dont know how to do that. Can someone help me?

PHP Code:

if ($show == "ad"){
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM ads Where id='".$_GET[id]."'";
    $result = mysql_query($sql) or die("SQL: $sql ".mysql_error());
    while ($adsresult = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC))
    {
    echo "$adsresult[fname] $adsresult[lname] <br>
      <b>E-post:</b> $adsresult[email] <br>
      <b>Kategori:</b> $adsresult[category] <br>
      <b>Rubrik:</b> $adsresult[head] <br>
      <b>Meddelande:</b> $adsresult[message] <br>
      <b>Datum:</b> $adsresult[date] <br>";
  }} 


I want to limit the numbers of characters in just "$adsresult[message]" and also add "..." after, is that possible?

Thanks in advance
Niklas

[Princeton]

try: fetch_trimmed_title($text, $limit)

[sabret00the]

alternatively www.php.net/substr

[error_22]

Thanks a lot for replying!

Im experiencing a problem though;

If I use...

PHP Code:

echo substr('abcdef', 0, 4);  // abcd 


...It works, but not if I replace "abcdef" with "$adsresult[message]" i just get:

"$ads"

Im assuming it simply prints parts of the variable, what do I ned to change so it actually prints the content of the variable?

Thanks so much
Niklas

EDIT: nvm, it works now, thanks a lot for helping!

[Code Monkey]

Don't put quotes aroud the variable and it should be $adsresult['message'].