Formating form strings for output

[tsteuwer]

Hello all. I've been dabbling in PHP for a few years but never got that deep. Until now, I've never really built a system that interacts PHP with MySQL. I've been working on a new website and I am having issues generating output that looks exactly like how it was inputed.

 

Here's how the data looks when I input it:

 

"Some random text.

 

More random text, followed by more random text.

 

Also, we'll add more random text."

 

When I insert this data into my MySQL database, it looks exactly like the above. However, when I get the data from MySQL and echo it via PHP it looks like the following:

 

"Some random text. More random text, followed by more random text. Also, we'll add more random text."

 

It basically removes all formatting. I find this really odd because when I log into the MySQL Admin, and actually open up the data, it looks like the first example. What am I doing wrong when outputting?

 

You can see an example of the output.

 

[Zane]

look at http://php.net/nl2br

 

Also, how are you outputting it right now?  I assume with just a simple echo, but what's your code.

[tsteuwer]

When a user submits data via a form, I clean it and then insert into the database with:

 

$description = cleanData($_POST['description']);

function cleanData($originalvariable) {
$newvariable = trim(strip_tags(addslashes(htmlspecialchars($description))));
return $newvariable;
}

 

Then, when I'm displaying it via echo, I use:

 

echo decodeData($description);

function decodeData($originalvariable) {
$newvariable = htmlspecialchars_decode(stripslashes($originalvariable));
return $newvariable;
}

[tsteuwer]

By the way, I tried using

 

echo nl2br($description);

 

And it looks the exact same way as if I didn't use it.

[Zane]

instead of using your custom CleanData function.. try the built-in cleaning function

 

http://php.net/mysql_real_escape_string

 

Then do a normal echo and see how that does

[tsteuwer]

Hey buddy,

 

I tried using mysql_real_escape_string and the formatting comes out the exact same. Any suggestions on how to clean data from a form to make sure I don't get attached by sql and to keep the formatting of the user in tact? And then, how would I echo it to look the same way and keep the formatting as well?

[Jax2]

Can't you do a string replace from /n to <br> or something along that line?

[Zane]

are you even echoing this text within a pre-formatted element?  For instance, the P tag.  Or are you just echoing it flat out

[tsteuwer]

I'm echoing it straight out. When I look in mysql, the format is in there. I don't use any html tags because the regular user to my site won't know any html tags.

[Zane]

well echo it out inside a P tag and see what happens.  If the formatting is there within phpmyadmin .... or mysql as most call it, then it's not impossible to say YOU can do it too.

[tsteuwer]

Hey zabus, when I do that it comes out as one paragraph. In mysql it shows three paragraphs. But I don't know how to have php output it with the three paragraphs intact. I know a regular user won't know how to type br br

[Zane]

Obviously, there is something stripping your output of its newlines.  Which is exactly what the nl2br function is for.  It take new lines and turns them into

's. 

 

I know you can't assume the user knows HTML, you've already mentioned this.  Repetition isn't the answer and The answer isn't repetition.  If you can't get the newlines to show, then how do you expect the user to.  I'm not expecting you or telling you how to run your website or even how to program it.  But before you can even begin to program a site FOR someone you need to know WHY it isn't showing the newlines.

 

Is there any other code you're not showing us that could possibly effect the output.  Since obviously, the input seems to be PERFECT.

[tsteuwer]

Zanus,

 

I'm sorry for my redundant posts. I always feel like I'm not explaining myself correctly.

 

Anyway, you were completely right about it nl2br(). I have no clue what I was doing prior, but I added it to the portion of where it was being echoed and it came out correct.

 

Thank you so much for your help. I've got a lot to learn. Check it out now.

[Zane]

Glad you got it sorted.

 

Remember nl2br()  =  New Line ->