How to use substr in an alert email subject?

[sholom]

I'd like to include the first 20 characters of a variable in an alert email subject. I've tried substr($result.EX$,1,20) but that ends up including the static text "substr" as well as the entire variable value along with the parenthesis and 1,20.

Is the correct way to wrap it all in $? - $substr($result.EX$,1,20)$

What is the correct way to do this?

[richgalloway]

The $ character denotes a token, usually a field, but never a function. @kmaron has a good suggestion.

[kmaron]

What about doing the substr in the actual search to create a new field and then using that result as the token?

[woodcock]

I second this suggestion; you can make the new field invisible by naming it with a underscore ( _ ) as the first character.