Question

My ISPs server uses MySQL.

I have a table which has a field with 2000 characters in it, I show about 20 records at a time on most pages and this I think causes the site to be slow.

I’d like to limit the characters to 450, I can do this in PHP, but I was wondering if I could do it in the query instead, e.g. left(english2000,450) would that help ?

If so what would I use, I’m assume there isn’t a left function.

Also I’d like to keep the name of the field in tact can I do … left(english2000,450) as english200 ? if not how ?

Thanks.

Answer 1

There is left() function in mysql:

SELECT LEFT(somefield, 450) AS somefield