I'm having a problem when I use mysql_fetch_array and extract() following a left select query. As an example... $query = "SELECT id,LEFT(fluff,80) FROM sometable"; $result = mysql_query($query) or die('message'); while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result){ extract($row); echo "<P>" . $id . ": " . $fluff . "</P>"; } would echo the $id, but there would be nothing for $fluff. However, if I select only 'fluff' from the MySQL table, I get the full text for $fluff. I am reluctant to SELECT the entire fluff text from the table and shorten it in PHP as that seems inefficient to me - (but correct me if I am wrong). I expect the solution must be dead easy, but I can't find it or figure it out. Many thanks, Jeffrey -- PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php