Max Char Length Errors

[SpecTech]

ok ive added the ProductDescription variable into my related items, now im trying to add a max char length so that it only displays a certain ammounth of the description.
its working so far however im getting errors

this is the code im useing

<actinic:block php="true" >
$desc = "<actinic:variable name="ProductDescription" />";

$desc1 = substr($desc, 0,60);

echo "$desc1";

</actinic:block>

The only problem is this bit

$desc = "<actinic:variable name="ProductDescription" />";

if I change the variable to just read text it works fine and cuts off at 60 chars but why wont it read the variable?

[Duncan Rounding]

Try this:

$desc = '<actinic:variable encoding="perl" name="ProductDescription" selectable="false" />';

[SpecTech]

awesome, it seems to have worked, thanks but now I have reached another problem in my descriptions I use code so I trap the text inside !!<>!! is there a way I can code it in that when !!< is typed it does not appear

[SpecTech]

Ok I think I have solved my own problem

In the substr I have just hidden the first 3 charecters

$desc1 = substr($desc, 3,200);