[RESOLVED] I need to truncate what is show from a variable in mysql

[mnewbegin]

I am trying to truncate variables from a mysql database, so when I show my display of the database in a table, it limits the characters shown.

so in my code I have an array that spits out my variables into a table,

I grab the data through, my query.

$sql="SELECT * FROM _products WHERE pending='0' AND deleted='0' ORDER BY productID ASC";
$result=mysql_query($sql);
$count=mysql_num_rows($result);

then I have my data output in the table, so I can click edit on it, to change things.

<td><? echo $rows['productID']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['pageName']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['section1']; ?></td>
<td> <? echo $rows['section2']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['customer']; ?></td> 

I know shorthand, I'm changing my codes so there not that way..

I was going to try to use substr_replace, but thats for strings not variables??, but can I put my variable into a string, then limit it, and display the string instead of the variable in this example?

I tried a few things but got very lost.

I found the example on the main page talking about substr_replace to truncate, so that is what I'm trying to do with my section1, section2 pieces of my database table when displayed.

Example from this page

$article = "BREAKING NEWS: In ultimate irony, man bites dog."; 
$summary = substr_replace($article, "...", 40); // $summary = "BREAKING NEWS: In ultimate irony, man bi..."

[laserlight]

mnewbegin wrote:

I was going to try to use substr_replace, but thats for strings not variables?

The value of your variable is a string, so there is no problem.

[mnewbegin]

I guess I just don't know the correct usage of it then.

where do I fill in the substr_replace code? I tried placing it in front of the variable..

but there seems to be issues.

do i declare it right above it?

[bradgrafelman]

As laserlight points out, you're already dealing with strings. A "variable" isn't a data type - it's simply a container that can hold data of any data type.

Plus, PHP is a very loosely-typed language, so things like this:

$int = 1234567;
var_dump( substr($int, 1, 2) );

work just fine, giving an output of:

string(2) "23"

EDIT:

mnewbegin wrote:

where do I fill in the substr_replace code? I tried placing it in front of the variable..

You'd use it just like the example code shows. Show us the exact code that you tried.

[mnewbegin]

I guess where my problem lies is.

My variable is all ready put into an array?

So I don't know placement in the array.. that it gets shortened or truncated.

I have, that array spit out into a table, so it shows me the individual items in the table.

The section1 and section2, parts are like 300 characters long and I only want to show about 40 then. ..... after it.

<td><? echo $rows['productID']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['pageName']; ?></td>
<td> <? echo $rows['section1']; ?></td>  

<td> <? echo $rows['section2']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['customer']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['amazonSearchIndex']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['brand']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['amazonSearch']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['store_id']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['added_on']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['price']; ?></td>

but I don't know usage of it, when I'm not declaring the string right above it? the data is being pulled and put into the array, can I take the array variable and truncate that? with something like this?

I tried this but Im sure the placement is wrong? if this even works?

<td><? echo $rows['productID']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['pageName']; ?></td>
<td><? var_dump( substr($rows[$section1], 0, 40) )?>;</td> 
<td> <? echo $rows['section2']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['customer']; ?></td>  

<td><? echo $rows['amazonSearchIndex']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['brand']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['amazonSearch']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['store_id']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['added_on']; ?></td>
<td><? echo $rows['price']; ?></td>

but I get a...

bool(false) ;

error message?

[mnewbegin]

Sorry and with this..

<td><? var_dump( substr($rows[section1], 0, 40) )?>;</td> 

string(40) "This is a test this is a test this is a " ;

but it outputs the word string(40) in front of the string that I want?

[laserlight]

mnewbegin wrote:

but it outputs the word string(40) in front of the string that I want?

Yeah, that is just meta-information concerning the value, i.e., it is of string type with a length of 40.

[mnewbegin]

ok, so now that I'm a little more educated... LOL..

if i want to use this with substr_replace

and turn it into

"This is a test this is a test this is a " ;

I take my current code of.

<td><? var_dump( substr_replace($rows[section1], "...", 40) )?>;</td> 

or

<td><? var_dump( substr($rows[section1], "...", 40) )?>;</td>

how do I remove the meta data from showing?

the example here shows no meta data on it?
and do what with it?

Right now my string spits out.

string(43) "This is a test this is a test this is a ..." ;

but I just want,

This is a test this is a test this is a ...

[bradgrafelman]

...which is why you should stick to using [man]echo[/man] rather than vardump.

Also, in the code below:

$array = array('myIndex' => 'Hello world!', 'foo' => 'bar');

$message = "Hello world!";

$message and $array['myIndex'] (where $array is meant to simulate your $rows variable above) are identical. Same data type, same contents, etc. There's no difference between the two of them as far as the data is concerned.

EDIT: Also note that this:

$rows[section1]

should be this:

$rows['section1']

since the array index "section1" is a string, and all strings must be delimited by quotes. Otherwise, PHP thinks you're referring to a constant (man page: [man]language.constants[/man]) named section1.

[mnewbegin]

thank you both, so much.

Its working now, and I have a better understanding of how it works now. I can now build it into my site correctly.