diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 34d96c41..cf5a969d 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 1.99.4 (2012-01-20 11:23:12) stable
+Version 1.99.4 (2012-01-20 11:36:35) stable
diff --git a/gluon/html.py b/gluon/html.py
index 83c485cd..ee98d17b 100644
--- a/gluon/html.py
+++ b/gluon/html.py
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ def xmlescape(data, quote = True):
     return data
 
 
+def truncate_string(text, length, dots='...'):
+    text = text.decode('utf-8')
+    if len(text)>length:
+        text = text[:length-len(dots)].encode('utf-8')+dots
+    return text
+
 def URL(
     a=None,
     c=None,
diff --git a/gluon/sqlhtml.py b/gluon/sqlhtml.py
index 9acda6f3..1fa2a48c 100644
--- a/gluon/sqlhtml.py
+++ b/gluon/sqlhtml.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from http import HTTP
 from html import XML, SPAN, TAG, A, DIV, CAT, UL, LI, TEXTAREA, BR, IMG, SCRIPT
 from html import FORM, INPUT, LABEL, OPTION, SELECT, MENU
 from html import TABLE, THEAD, TBODY, TR, TD, TH
-from html import URL
+from html import URL, truncate_string
 from dal import DAL, Table, Row, CALLABLETYPES, smart_query
 from storage import Storage
 from utils import md5_hash
@@ -1800,11 +1800,11 @@ class SQLFORM(FORM):
                                 value = A('File',
                                           _href='%s/%s' % (upload, value))
                         else:
-                            value = ''
-                    elif isinstance(value,str) and len(value)>maxlength:
-                        value=value[:maxlength]+'...'
+                            value = ''                            
+                    elif isinstance(value,str):
+                        value = truncate_string(value,maxlength)
                     else:
-                        value=field.formatter(value)
+                        value = field.formatter(value)
                     tr.append(TD(value))
                 row_buttons = TD(_class='row_buttons')
                 if links and links_in_grid:
@@ -2195,16 +2195,12 @@ class SQLTABLE(TABLE):
                         r = ''
                 elif field.type in ['string','text']:
                     r = str(field.formatter(r))
-                    ur = unicode(r, 'utf8')
                     if headers!={}: #new implement dict
                         if isinstance(headers[colname],dict):
-                            if isinstance(headers[colname]['truncate'], int) \
-                                    and len(ur)>headers[colname]['truncate']:
-                                r = ur[:headers[colname]['truncate'] - 3]
-                                r = r.encode('utf8') + '...'
-                    elif not truncate is None and len(ur) > truncate:
-                        r = ur[:truncate - 3].encode('utf8') + '...'
-
+                            if isinstance(headers[colname]['truncate'], int):
+                                r = truncate_string(r, headers[colname]['truncate'])
+                    elif not truncate is None:
+                        r = truncate_string(r, truncate)
                 attrcol = dict()#new implement dict
                 if headers!={}:
                     if isinstance(headers[colname],dict):