Setting default value for textarea

[astralweeks]

I am using php / mysql, however, I am having a problem in the "edit page" displaying the default value from a mysql field in a text area in the HTML form. The line is as follows:

<TEXTAREA name=\"job_desc\" rows=\"15\" cols=\"40\" maxlength=800 value=\"$job_desc\"></TEXTAREA>

I get no errors but the field does not display the contents of the $job_desc field, just blank. I have verified that the correct value is passed down in the php code. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[yelvington]

Basic HTML; "value" is not an attribute of textarea. Put the initial content inside the container.

<TEXTAREA name="job_desc" rows="15" cols="40" maxlength=800>$job_desc</TEXTAREA>

maxlength also is somewhat bogus and may not yield the results you want, depending on the browser.

[astralweeks]

Thanks...I tried that but it simply show "$job_desc" as default text.

[gufmn]

<TEXTAREA name="job_desc" rows="15" cols="40" maxlength=800><?php echo $job_desc ?></TEXTAREA>

[astralweeks]

I got yelvington's suggestion to work...the error was mine. Thank you both for your help.

[laserlight]

You might want to look into using [man]htmlspecialchars/man and for textareas, [man]nl2br/man.