How can I limit the size of field in this SQL query?

From: john <uu_gg_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 24 Apr 2002 12:19:03 -0700
Message-ID: <a82b1436.0204241119.cbfe816@posting.google.com>

Hi,
I have this query I use to exract data from Oracle8i DB, and one field's "ref_text" Datatype is "Long", when I do the query I want to limit this data to 2000 Char, how can I do that? I tried to use substr() and max(), length(), but no luck so far. Could you please show me how to do this, thanks.

John

SELECT crse.local_crse_cd, crse.crse_status_cd, crse.crse_ttl, (I need something here to limit this field size to 2000 Char)--> ref_material_text.ref_text<--, crse.target_audience, crse.default_reg_cost,
course_delivery_method.crse_delivery_method_cd, crse.crse_cd, crse.crse_language_ind,
crse.crse_site_cd, competency.comp_external_cd

    FROM tedscbm.competency, tedscbm.crse_comp, tedscbm.crse, tedscbm.course_delivery_method, tedscbm.ref_material_text

    WHERE ((crse_comp.comp_cd = competency.comp_cd)

          AND (crse.crse_cd = crse_comp.crse_cd) 
          AND (crse.crse_rev_cd = crse_comp.crse_rev_cd) 
          AND (course_delivery_method.crse_cd = crse_comp.crse_cd) 
		  AND (course_delivery_method.CRSE_DELIVERY_METHOD_CD != 'D')
          AND (course_delivery_method.crse_rev_cd =
crse_comp.crse_rev_cd)
          AND (crse.crse_overview_rev_cd =
ref_material_text.ref_rev_cd)
          AND (crse.crse_overview_cd = ref_material_text.ref_cd) 
          AND (crse.crse_status_cd = 'A')) 

    ORDER BY crse.local_crse_cd ASC Received on Wed Apr 24 2002 - 14:19:03 CDT