Return first N characters of string

Question

I need to select a shortened version of a field from a SQL Server table to use in a drop down list.

This field has to be limited to twenty characters. If the field has more than twenty characters, it should display the first twenty; if it has less than twenty characters, it should display the whole string.

How do I do this?

Answer 1

You can use the LEFT command.

Answer 2

Try left(sting_field,20) or right(sting_field,20)