[RESOLVED] variables in text field

SuisydeKing

I'm building a templating system and I'm having trouble displaying variable values from a mediumtext field.

Example:
$data = "test";

Now in the mediumtext field, I have the following: This is just a <{$data}>.

What outputs to the browser is of course: This is just a <{$data}>.

What I'd like output is: This is just a test.

When I ereg_replace <{ and }>, all I get is: This is just a $data.

How can I get the value of $data output rather than it just outputting as-is to the browser?

Any suggestions on my current thought process would be great, if there is a better way to do this, of course that would be great too. I don't mind researching if someone can just point me in the right direction. Thanks!

bradgrafelman

Show us the code you're trying.

If you wanted to use [man]preg_replace[/man], I'd say something like this would work:

$text = preg_replace('/\<{(\$.*?)}\>/ie', '$1', $text);

SuisydeKing

That actually worked great... I should have went a little further.

Here is some actual code:

// Pre-Defined Variables
$site = "Test Site";
$bg_body = "#FFFFFF";

// Query - Get Template Data
$gettemp=mysql_query("select header from templates");
$gettemp=mysql_fetch_array($gettemp);
$header=$gettemp[header];

echo $header;

Now this is what is actually contained in $header:

<body bgcolor="<{$bg_body}>">

Using your example code, it worked great for $site but it also of course replaced $bg_body as well. What is the best way to do a whole page of inserted variables? I'd prefer to not have to manually replace each individual var... would like something more along the lines of a "global" fix.

Thanks Again.

bradgrafelman

SuisydeKing wrote:
Using your example code, it worked great for $site but it also of course replaced $bg_body as well. What is the best way to do a whole page of inserted variables?

Err... I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean...

SuisydeKing

What I mean is how can a function (similar) to this:

$text = preg_replace('/<{(\$.*?)}>/ie', '$1, $text);

Be used for all variable definitions rather than just the one without having to repeat that preg_replace for every variable present. Remember I have $sitename and $bg_body and will have several others.

bradgrafelman

It should work for any variables, provided they are already defined. Example:

<?PHP

$sitename = 'Foobar';
$bg_body = 'Hello world!';

$text = 'My <{$sitename}> says: <{$bg_body}> to you.';
echo preg_replace('/\<{(\$.*?)}\>/e', '$1', $text); // My Foobar says: Hello world! to you.

?>

SuisydeKing

You're absolutely right, thanks so much! I thought I was to change $1 to $site and it worked for that 1 variable. Leaving $1 in tact, works for the whole page. By the way, what is the $1 and what does it mean or represent?

bradgrafelman

It represents the first matched subset in the pattern. If you'll notice, I surrounded the "$.*?" with parenthesis. That means that whatever is matched inside of those is saved as a special "subset" of the entire text matched.

SuisydeKing

How could I modify that preg_replace to also allow me to use something like this in the text output:

<?PHP if ($something == 1) { $test = 'ok'; } ?>

Lets say I have this:

$something = 1;

$example = "hello

<?PHP if ($something == 1) { $test = 'women'; } else { $test = 'men'; } ?.
<BR />From {<$sitename}>.";