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How to display only the fist 50 characters of a record, then click to expand the table

Hi Experts,

On my web page I'm displaying database records. One column is named "Comments" and it is varchar(MAX) data type in the SQL Server database.

<td align="left"><%=rs("Comments")%></td>

The table cell becomes too big when the Comments field contains too many characters. Is it possible to display only the first 50 characters of each record, then when the TD is clicked, it expands and shows the full record? When a different record is clicked it collapses to show the first 50 characters only.

My page is written is Classic ASP.

Thank you for your help.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Big Monty

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Stefan Motz

ASKER

Thank you very much Monty!
I'm afraid I will need some more help. I'm struggling to make the page appear with the short version of the Comments field. My goal is to expand it when clicked. I don't want to click the table header because that is supposed to sort the records. I would like the short Comments and long Comments alternate when the TD is clicked. Please take a look at the complete code of my page. How should I modify it in order to achieve my goal? I tried changing the colspan and the p to B and I, but whenever I placed those tags in my table the content just disappeared, but the TD was still visible.

<!-- #include virtual="/Connections/Authentication.asp" -->
<%
if request.querystring("sort")<>"" then
   sort=request.querystring("sort")
else
   sort="ID desc"
end if

set rs = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
rs.CursorLocation = 3  ' adUseClient

rs.Open "SELECT * FROM Complaints ORDER BY " & sort & " " & request.querystring("order"), conn

rs.PageSize = 10
intPageCount = rs.PageCount

Select Case Request("Action")
	case "<<"
		intpage = 1
	case "<"
		intpage = Request("intpage")-1
		if intpage < 1 then intpage = 1
	case ">"
		intpage = Request("intpage")+1
		if intpage > intPageCount then intpage = IntPageCount
	Case ">>"
		intpage = intPageCount
	case else
		intpage = 1
end select
%>
<html>
<head>
<title></title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/Scripts/Styles.css" type="text/css" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="/jquery/js/jquery-1.5.1.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="/jquery/js/jquery-ui-1.8.13.custom.min.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {
    $("td[colspan=3]").find("p").hide();
    $("table").click(function(event) {
        event.stopPropagation();
        var $target = $(event.target);
        if ( $target.closest("td").attr("colspan") > 1 ) {
            $target.slideUp();
        } else {
            $target.closest("tr").next().find("p").slideToggle();
        }                    
    });
});
</script>
</head>
<body>

<table align="center" class="border">
<tr>
<td >
<%if request.querystring("order") = "DESC" then%>
<a href="Disability1.asp?sort=CustName&order=ASC">CustomerName</a>
<%else%>
<a href="Disability1.asp?sort=CustName&order=DESC">CustomerName</a>
<%end if%>
</td>
<td align="center" class="hand">
<%if request.querystring("order") = "DESC" then%>
<a href="Disability1.asp?sort=Comments&order=ASC">Comments</a>
<%else%>
<a href="Disability1.asp?sort=Comments&order=DESC">Comments</a>
<%end if%>
</td>

</tr>
<%
rs.AbsolutePage = intPage
For intRecord = 1 To rs.PageSize
%>

<%
dim comments, previewComments

    comments = rs("comments")
     previewComments = Left( comments, 20 )
%>
<tr>

<td class="border"><%=rs("CustName")%></td>

<td class="border"><b><%=previewComments%></b></td>
<td class="border"><i><%=comments%></i></td>


</tr>

<%
rs.MoveNext
If rs.EOF Then Exit For
Next
rs.Close
set rs = Nothing
Conn.Close
set Conn = Nothing
%>
</table>
 
 </body>
 </html>

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Big Monty

I'll have a look at this tomorrow

Stefan Motz

ASKER

Thank you very much, I figured out the rest. It's actually a better solution than I was hoping for.