Show all of description text

[jasjol]

In TV guide, Today the description only displays 255 characters, in my XML file some descriptions are longer and they get cut off.

Is it possible to extend the size of the field in the database and then display all text?

[bgowland]

Yep - it's a minor one but it's on my wishlist too. Mostly it doesn't bother me but occasionally it's a bit frustrating. I had hoped it would work properley in JRock's Guide2J in vertical mode with inline descriptions but that does the same thing so I guess it's a limitation of the GB-PVR APIs.

[jasjol]

I checked in the database and the field description is a text field which has a maximum of 255 char.
So the field needs to change to PM type - which allows more text - but this may cause other problems?

[sub]

Yes, this is why I havnt done it. It also make problems for for users of SQL Server or MSDE.

[jrockintuitive]

Yes, this is why I havnt done it. It also make problems for for users of SQL Server or MSDE.

You probably know this... but, I have upsized a memo field (access) to a ntext (sql server/msde).

However, there are query limitations on memo fields. I think rectracker would be effected by this.

[Urk]

This is pretty high on my wishlist as well.

It is really annoying when you want to know what a film is about, and all you get is the begining of a description, which sometimes doesn't actually tell you a thing that you would like to know about the film.

If it is not possible to increase the length of that field, could you add a column to the table ( like decriptionb ).?
When inserting description into the recordings table, you could maybe insert from the 256th character into the new column, so split the long text between two columns.

That way the default description would appear as normal, and you could scroll down once to select from descriptionb and see the rest / more description.

Any good ?

[sub]

I'm not doing it like that, but I have begun some changes to store the complete data.

[Torque]

Would the complete data include showing original air dates? Like indicate if it's a rerun or not, rating, etc?

[the_e]

I know this is an ancient thread, but is there any chance the character limit will be removed now that you have switched to the sql database?

[sub]

If you're using SQLite, then its storing the complete description. The Blue skin's TV Guide popups are only big enough to show about 400 characters though. I didnt want them to have too much wasted space here in NZ where we dont typically have large descriptions.

Some other skins show more.