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## Overview

Creates a new array or string containing only a specified number of elements. The elements are taken from either the beginning or the end of the source array, string or number, as specified by the value and sign (positive or negative) of `limit`. Other array-like objects are also supported (e.g. array subclasses, NodeLists, jqLite/jQuery collections etc). If a number is used as input, it is converted to a string.

## Usage

### In HTML Template Binding

    {{ limitTo_expression | limitTo : limit : begin}}

### In JavaScript

    $filter('limitTo')(input, limit, begin)

### Arguments

Param | Type | Details
--- | --- | ---
input | Array ArrayLike string number | Array/array-like, string or number to be limited.

limit

string number

The length of the returned array or string. If the `limit` number is positive, `limit` number of items from the beginning of the source array/string are copied. If the number is negative, `limit` number of items from the end of the source array/string are copied. The `limit` will be trimmed if it exceeds `array.length`. If `limit` is undefined, the input will be returned unchanged.

begin (optional) | string number | Index at which to begin limitation. As a negative index, `begin` indicates an offset from the end of `input`. Defaults to `0`.

### Returns

Array string | A new sub-array or substring of length `limit` or less if the input had less than `limit` elements.

## Example

    <script>
      angular.module('limitToExample', [])
        .controller('ExampleController', ['$scope', function($scope) {
          $scope.numbers = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9];
          $scope.letters = "abcdefghi";
          $scope.longNumber = 2345432342;
          $scope.numLimit = 3;
          $scope.letterLimit = 3;
          $scope.longNumberLimit = 3;
        }]);
    </script>
    <div ng-controller="ExampleController">
      <label>
         Limit {{numbers}} to:
         <input type="number" step="1" ng-model="numLimit">
      </label>
      <p>Output numbers: {{ numbers | limitTo:numLimit }}</p>
      <label>
         Limit {{letters}} to:
         <input type="number" step="1" ng-model="letterLimit">
      </label>
      <p>Output letters: {{ letters | limitTo:letterLimit }}</p>
      <label>
         Limit {{longNumber}} to:
         <input type="number" step="1" ng-model="longNumberLimit">
      </label>
      <p>Output long number: {{ longNumber | limitTo:longNumberLimit }}</p>
    </div>

    var numLimitInput = element(by.model('numLimit'));
    var letterLimitInput = element(by.model('letterLimit'));
    var longNumberLimitInput = element(by.model('longNumberLimit'));
    var limitedNumbers = element(by.binding('numbers | limitTo:numLimit'));
    var limitedLetters = element(by.binding('letters | limitTo:letterLimit'));
    var limitedLongNumber = element(by.binding('longNumber | limitTo:longNumberLimit'));

    it('should limit the number array to first three items', function() {
      expect(numLimitInput.getAttribute('value')).toBe('3');
      expect(letterLimitInput.getAttribute('value')).toBe('3');
      expect(longNumberLimitInput.getAttribute('value')).toBe('3');
      expect(limitedNumbers.getText()).toEqual('Output numbers: [1,2,3]');
      expect(limitedLetters.getText()).toEqual('Output letters: abc');
      expect(limitedLongNumber.getText()).toEqual('Output long number: 234');
    });

    // There is a bug in safari and protractor that doesn't like the minus key
    // it('should update the output when -3 is entered', function() {
    //   numLimitInput.clear();
    //   numLimitInput.sendKeys('-3');
    //   letterLimitInput.clear();
    //   letterLimitInput.sendKeys('-3');
    //   longNumberLimitInput.clear();
    //   longNumberLimitInput.sendKeys('-3');
    //   expect(limitedNumbers.getText()).toEqual('Output numbers: [7,8,9]');
    //   expect(limitedLetters.getText()).toEqual('Output letters: ghi');
    //   expect(limitedLongNumber.getText()).toEqual('Output long number: 342');
    // });

    it('should not exceed the maximum size of input array', function() {
      numLimitInput.clear();
      numLimitInput.sendKeys('100');
      letterLimitInput.clear();
      letterLimitInput.sendKeys('100');
      longNumberLimitInput.clear();
      longNumberLimitInput.sendKeys('100');
      expect(limitedNumbers.getText()).toEqual('Output numbers: [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]');
      expect(limitedLetters.getText()).toEqual('Output letters: abcdefghi');
      expect(limitedLongNumber.getText()).toEqual('Output long number: 2345432342');
    });