A fixed-length string. If a string value is too long for the allocated space, it is truncated to fit and if it is shorter, the empty space is padded, usually with space characters. This is an allusion to Procrustes, a legendary robber of ancient Attica. He bound his victims to a bed, and if they were shorter than the bed, he stretched their limbs until they would fit if their limbs were longer, he lopped them off. (1997-09-12)
