[SOLVED] nl2br help

[Zergman]

I read through some previous posts regarding nl2br and I just don't get it.

 

I did learn that its advised to use nl2br outputting the data, not inputting.  Formatting seems correct in the database for the entered text so it looks like its going in right.

 

I just can't figure out how to use nl2br.  Don't even know what code to post here lol.

[PHPTOM]

For example. If you have used mysql_fetch_array assigned to $info

You do:

echo nl2br($info[field]);

 

Whever you echo it, wrap it in nl2br

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[papaface]

Basically you use this to format the text in the way it was originally formatted in terms of new lines.

When data is inserted into a db it is entered with new lines as

\n

. nl2br allows you to replace the

\n

with

<br />

which creates a new line in HTML.

[unkwntech]

A good place to start for any function is the PHP manual http://php.net/functionName in this case http://php.net/nl2br

[genericnumber1]

Long explanation:

 

nl2br() just changes all the line breaks (\n)

 

V line break

 

^ line break

 

Into <br /> html tags... So when, for instance, someone enters some text into a form, a good script would put that data as-is into a database (assuming it's secure). Then, later, a different script would query the database, and when displaying it, it would nl2br() the data so that the line breaks are displayed in the html. (line breaks don't show up on the rendered end of html without <br /> tags).

 

For example one script inserts a blog post

 

<?php
$title = $_POST['title'];
$body = $_POST['body'];

// escape the quotes here

mysql_query("INSERT INTO news (title, body) VALUES ('$title', '$body')");
?>

 

And another script gets the info out and uses nl2br()

 

<?php
$resource = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM news");

while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($resource))
{
  $row['body'] = nl2br($row['body']);
  echo "TITLE: {$row['title']} <br />";
  echo "BODY: {$row['body']}";
}
?>

 

So a body post in the above script of

 

This is a test post.
Hi!

 

would become

 

This is a test post.<br />Hi!

[Zergman]

Good stuff!  I did check the php manual, but it went WAY over my head.  Didn't make too much sense to me  ???

 

So if I understand this right, when I echo the information I want formatted

Ex

<td><?php echo $row_rsexdisplay['notes']; ?></td>

 

And this is me taking a wild stab in the dark

<?php echo nl2br($row_rsexdisplay['notes']); ?>

 

Do i have it right?

[unkwntech]

Yap, you got it.

[Zergman]

yay me!

 

You all rock, many many thanks!

 

Wicked stuff, thanks all!

[cooldude832]

that is fairly straightforward just remeber that nl2br isn't what it says it is in the title

 

it sounds like New Line to html Break

 

However its really

 

Insert html Break before New Lines

 

So running

nl2br(nl2br($var));  will produce double breaklines since it doesn't destroy the \n or \r present

[unkwntech]

@cooldude832 - thats a good note.

If your just looking to replace \n or \r with a < br /> you can use this

echo preg_replace('/(?:\n|\r)/i', '<br />', $row_rsexdisplay['notes']);