I am using <? $result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM courses",$db); printf("<select name=\"coursecode\">\n"); while ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result)) { $l=$myrow['coursecode']; ?><option value="<?=$l;?>"<?=($_POST['coursecode']==$l)?' selected="selected"':"";?>><?=$myrow['title'];?></option><? } printf("</select>\n"); ?> to generate a html <option><select>. Unfortunately a few of my course titles are really long and this effects the rendering of the <option><select> making it ultra wide. Is there a way i can print only the first 40 characters of the title - even though the full title lives in the db still (it is used throughout the site)? cheers -- Mike Karthauser Managing Director - Brightstorm Ltd Email >> mikek@brightstorm.co.uk Web >> http://www.brightstorm.co.uk Tel >> 0117 9426653 (office) 07939 252144 (mobile) Snailmail >> Unit 8, 14 King Square, Bristol BS2 8JJ -- PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php