>$CATEGORY=str_replace("'","''",$_REQUEST['CATEGORY']);
>
>I convert html entities to text i can use on the web pages.
>I use this for being able to retrieve it back as normal characters.
>I use this on all my inserts.
>
>And, then i want to put it in the category field in the table.
>Let's say the category field is 20 characters in length.
>
>If user is writing a lot of " the text will expand, even if it is set to stop at 20 characters. Because it adds extra characters to the converted variable.
>and if i strip the characters to fit the db field, it can be that i loose one ' character, and then it is fucked up because it needs to of the ' for each ".
>How can i best do this? How can i make the text fit in the db field the easiest way without getting the truncated string error?
>
>Is there another easier way?

Just keep your inserts as they are and then run

UPDATE <table>
SET CATEGORY = SUBSTRING(CATEGORY FROM 1 FOR 19)
WHERE PrimaryKey = :NewPK AND --or some other way to only update recently inserted rows
(SUBSTRING(CATEGORY FROM 20 FOR 1) = '''' AND
SUBSTRING(CATEGORY FROM 19 FOR 2) <> '''''') OR
(SUBSTRING(CATEGORY FROM 18 FOR 3) = '''''''' AND
SUBSTRING(CATEGORY FROM 17 FOR 4) <> '''''''''')

to delete orphan ' at the last position.

This should cover those situations where the html contains a ' or '' as the last characters to be stored (if the html can contain ''' or '''' at the end, you'll have to add another pair or two of lines).

I've never done this myself, but I think it should work.

HTH,
Set