textarea formatting

sethcox

I cannot recall the variable or code to store in mySQL the formatting submitted in a textarea box. In other words, if the user formats their textarea content with line breaks by simply pressing <ENTER> on the keyboard, or puts spaces in the box, how can I preserve that formatting?

Thanks!

DigitalExpl0it

in a text box heres the ansci

/n = return
/t = tab

just use engi_replace to replace

replace /n with <br>

and /t with & nbsp;& nbsp;

sethcox

I dont understand what to do. When and how to I replace that code with <br> and how does the /n get there to start with?

Thora_Fan

When inserted into a MySQL database, text will keep it's format via new lines. When pulled back out, simply run it through the function nl2br(); which will take care of replacing new lines with their HTML equivilants <br>.

DigitalExpl0it

you have a form (text box lets say)

+-------------------------------+
This is a test
Next Line Down
Tabbed with next line down
+-------------------------------+

now when the user hits the submit button this will goto to either the same page or another page and insert that text into a database correct?

now what you can do is, let it insert then have another page (where everyone will view the text) conver the /n and /t

you can convert the /t and /n to something diffrent like :tabbed: :return:

etc..

so to replace this is hwo you do it

$textbox = eregi_replace("/n", "<br>", $textbox);
$textbox = eregi_replace("/t", "& nbsp;& nbsp;", $textbox);

now the

& nbsp;& nbsp;

you need to take out the space between the & and the n

now to convert the text back so it looks right in a text box this is how you do it

$textbox = eregi_replace("<br>", "/n", $textbox);
$textbox = eregi_replace("& nbsp;& nbsp;", "/t", $textbox);