substr() return incorrect number of characters

Question

substr() is returning 28 characters instead of 25.

$nature_goods is the input field, where user can enter string containing special characters.

Answer 1

In substr() function third parameter is used to set the length not to set the position. For more details please visit

http://php.net/manual/en/function.substr.php

Answer 2

You are using substr incorrectly.

You are using the last value passed to the function as an end point rather than a length, as in grab the characters between 25 and 50, instead of using substr as it supposed to be used, which, as you have written it, is grab 50 characters after skipping the first 25 characters.

The final function call should be substr($nature_goods, 25, 25); if you are expecting to receive 25 characters in return.

Values expected for substr:

substr ( string $string , int $start , int $length )

Full documentation here:

http://php.net/manual/en/function.substr.php