//index.php $smarty = new Smarty; 
$smarty->assign('newsTitle', 'Two Sisters Reunite after Eighteen Years at Checkout Counter.'); 
$smarty->display('index.tpl'); 
//index.tpl 
{$newsTitle} 
{$newsTitle|truncate} 
{$newsTitle|truncate:30} 
{$newsTitle|truncate:30:""} 
{$newsTitle|truncate:30:"---"} 
{$newsTitle|truncate:30:"":true}
{$newsTitle|truncate:30:"...":true}