In the context of PHP forums, what are some common challenges faced when displaying truncated strings?

When displaying truncated strings in PHP forums, one common challenge is ensuring that the truncation does not cut off words in the middle. To solve this issue, you can use functions like `mb_strimwidth` to truncate the string while preserving whole words. Additionally, you may need to consider the length of the truncated string to ensure it fits within the desired display area.

// Example code snippet to truncate a string while preserving whole words
function truncateString($string, $length) {
    if (mb_strlen($string) > $length) {
        $string = mb_strimwidth($string, 0, $length, '...');
    }
    return $string;
}

// Example usage
$originalString = "This is a long string that needs to be truncated";
$truncatedString = truncateString($originalString, 20);
echo $truncatedString; // Output: "This is a long..."