How to Truncate Text via CSS from the Beginning of a Sentence

Discover how to use simple CSS techniques to `truncate text from the beginning of a sentence` for improved file name display. Find out how to make text overflow visually appealing!
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How to Truncate Text via CSS from the Beginning of a Sentence

The Problem: Overflowing Text

In a user interface scenario, if you use a traditional CSS approach to truncate file names, the result looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While this method effectively shortens the text, it can be frustrating for users when they cannot see the file extension. Ideally, you would want the result to look something like:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This way, users can easily identify the type of file being uploaded, providing a better overall experience.

The Solution: Using CSS with direction: rtl;

To achieve the desired effect of truncating text from the beginning rather than the end, we can leverage the direction property in CSS. Specifically, by setting the direction to rtl (right-to-left), we can trick the visual layout into truncating from the start of the text. Here’s how to implement it effectively.

Step-by-Step Implementation

CSS Styles: Update your CSS styles for the span element to include direction: rtl; alongside your existing styles.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

HTML Setup: Use a <span> element within your HTML where you want the text truncation to occur.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Result: With this setup, the long file name will be displayed as:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This solution effectively meets the requirement without adding any JavaScript or complicating your design further.

Why This Works

The direction: rtl; property changes the flow of the text so that the browser begins rendering from the right side instead of the left. As a result, the text is truncated from the start, allowing the ending (including the file extension) to remain visible, which is crucial for user clarity and understanding.

Conclusion

By applying a simple CSS adjustment with direction: rtl;, you can solve the common problem of text overflow in file upload scenarios without compromising the visibility of important information like file extensions. This technique not only streamlines your code but also enhances the user experience significantly. So next time you're faced with lengthy file names in your web application, remember this quick fix – it’s stylish and effective!