Hard line breaks

Anon

We use simple text area's within forms to post stories into a database or a file which we then include.

However, we don't want to use HTML code when posting the info.

Is it possible that when I go to a new line in the text area, that that is seen as a tag for the file or database?

That way we no longer need to use or within the text area field.

Thanks already!

Mika

[deleted]

Search before you post.

http://www.hvt-automation.nl/yapf/index.php?cmd=viewitem&itemid=8

Anon

I allow the data to go into the database as it is, it will maintain the carriage returns from the form. Then when outputting it use the following code:

$text = ereg_replace(chr(13)," ","$text");

One return will appear as a carriage return and 2 returns will have the same effect as a tag.

I have never tried to write it to a text file so I don't know whether the carriage returns are maintained.
If they are not you can use this code in reverse, so the textarea on the form won't need tags, the tags will be added during processing.

Hope this helps.

[deleted]

Why this elaborate (and slow) ereg?

Anon

I find this more flexible as I can use it to do pretty much anything I want.

eg:
$text = ereg_replace(chr(13),"","$text");
= larger line breaks

$text = ereg_replace(chr(13),"</td><td>","$text");
= when inside a table will put the paragraphs side by side

or
$text = ereg_replace(chr(13),"<hr>","$text");
for a horizontal rule between the paragraphs

I've never tried it but you could probably put a new image inbetween the carriage returns on news stories. Images could be uploaded with the name as the id number+1 and use the file_exist function to see if there's an available image and plonk it in.
I'll have to look into this one...

[deleted]

It is more flexible, but it is also slower than nl2br() and in most cases I think it's overkill.

A few notes about your examples:
1. Not largert linebreaks, just bad HTML containing unmatched paragraph markers

Not paragraphs side by side, LINES side by side. 500 lines = 500 cells. ouch...
ieuw! 🙂
Ofcourse you can replace the newline by everything you want, and you can make it as complex as you like, but now you are wondering into the realm of templates and XML.