[RESOLVED] comparing difference in written txt

LordRogaine

I'm using php with mysql. I'm trying to compare the text in two different paragraphs. Most of the text is identical in both paragraphs. Using something like this...

$a = "paragraph one";
$b = "paragraph two";

if ($a != $b) {

}

is it possible to show the different text in another color or have it stand out somehow to show the difference in paragraphs?

bradgrafelman

Try searching the board, usign terms like "compare two strings" or "string comparison". Here's one of my posts that popped up (that I was incidentally looking for... gotta love the Search option...):

http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?t=10265207#post10745609

LordRogaine

Thanks!!

bradgrafelman

So... did that resolve your issue? If so, don't forget to mark this thread resolved. If not... well, definitely continue your questioning 😉

Salkcin

I would do something liket this:

<?php

$old = "Can you spott the differense in this stringg";
$new = "Can you spot the difference in this string";

$old = explode(' ', $old);
$new = explode(' ', $new);

// What's different in $new?
print_r(array_diff($new, $old));

/* output:

Array
(
    [2] => spot
    [4] => difference
    [7] => string
)

*/
?>

LordRogaine

Hi guys. Brad when I try to use your way I am getting a blank result. For some reason I think the coding is not recognizing the old or new strings. In anticipation of your question, yes the new string is larger than the old sting. Salkin, I tried your way too and the differences from new to old are being printed out but when I have "quotes" in one of the strings, that are being compared I get an error message like this "syntax error, unexpected T_STRING in" any way around it?

Thanks to both of you for the help

bradgrafelman

unexpected T_STRING in" any way around it?

Escape the double quotes in the string by prepending them with a backslash.

LordRogaine

I tried adding addslashes, but that did not seem to help 🙁

bradgrafelman

Show us the code you tried.

LordRogaine

I'm good now. It works. thanks for the help!