Recording and displaying blank space from submitted form

[captain_scarlet87]

Hi,

I need the submitted textarea called instructions to record all the blank spaces that are within the box. For example I have submitted some data such as this:

 

1. Do this.

 

2. Do that.

 

There is a space between them however when I display the contents it comes up as:

 

1. Do this. 2. Do that.

 

So basically I need exactly the same formating to be displayed as to what has been submitted in the form.

 

Please help me. Thanks.

 

Code submitting the form:

 

<?php # Script 13.6 - upload_instructions.php

// Include the configuration file for error management and such.
require_once ('./includes/config.inc.php');

// Set the page title and include the HTML header.
$page_title = 'Upload Instructions';
include ('./includes/header.html');

if (isset($_POST['submitted'])) { // Handle the form.

require_once ('../mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the database.

$topic = $_POST['topic'];

// Check for a title.
if (eregi ('^[[:alpha:]\.\' \-]{2,50}$', stripslashes(trim($_POST['title'])))) {
	$t = escape_data($_POST['title']);
} else {
	$t = FALSE;
	echo '<p><font color="red" size="+1">Please enter your title.</font></p>';
}

// Check for a instructions.
	if (strlen (stripslashes(trim($_POST['instructions'])))) {
		$i = escape_data($_POST['instructions']);
	} else {
		$i = FALSE;
		echo '<p><font color="red" size="+1">Please enter your instructions.</font></p>';
}

if ($t && $i) { // If everything's OK.

		// Add the user.
		$query = "INSERT INTO uploaded_instructions (title, topic, instructions) VALUES ('$t', '$topic', '$i' )";
		$result = mysql_query ($query) or trigger_error("Query: $query\n<br />MySQL Error: " . mysql_error());

		if (mysql_affected_rows() == 1) { // If it ran OK.

			// Finish the page.
			echo '<h3>Instructions submission successful!</h3>';
			include ('./includes/footer.html'); // Include the HTML footer.
			exit();

		} else { // If it did not run OK.
			echo '<p><font color="red" size="+1">You could not be registered due to a system error. We apologize for any inconvenience.</font></p>';
		}

} else { // If one of the data tests failed.
	echo '<p><font color="red" size="+1">Please try again.</font></p>';
}

mysql_close(); // Close the database connection.

} // End of the main Submit conditional.
?>

<h1>Upload Instructions</h1>
<form action="upload_instructions.php" method="post">
<fieldset>

<p><b>Title:</b> <input type="text" name="title" size="100" maxlength="100" value="<?php if (isset($_POST['topic'])) echo $_POST['title']; ?>" /></p>

<p><b>Topic:</b> <select name="topic"><option value="crm">CRM</option><option value="email">Email</option><option value="internet">Internet</option><option value"other">Other</option><p></select>

<p><b>Instructions:</b><br><textarea name="instructions" maxlength="1000" rows="30" cols="120" value="<?php if (isset($_POST['instructions'])) echo $_POST['instructions']; ?>" /></textarea> </p>

<div align="center"><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Upload Instructions" /></div>
<input type="hidden" name="submitted" value="TRUE" />

</form>

<?php // Include the HTML footer.
include ('./includes/footer.html');
?>

 

Code to display the submitted data:

 

<?php # Script 13.8 - view_instructions.php

// Include the configuration file for error management and such.
require_once ('./includes/config.inc.php');

// Set the page title and include the HTML header.
$page_title = 'View Instructions';
include ('./includes/header.html');

$instructions_id = $_GET['instructions_id'];

?>
<h1>View Instructions:</h1>
<fieldset>
<table>
  <tr>
    <td>
      <table>
      <?php
      require_once ('../mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the database.
      $order = "SELECT * FROM uploaded_instructions WHERE instructions_id=$instructions_id";
      $result = mysql_query($order);
      while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($result)){
        echo ("<tr><td><b>$row[title]</b></td>");
        echo ("<tr><td></td>");
        echo ("<tr><td>$row[instructions]</td>");
      }
      ?>
      </table>
    </td>
   </tr>
</table>
</fieldset>

<?php
include ('./includes/footer.html');
?>

[Ken2k7]

What does the function escape_data do?

[ChemicalBliss]

IT is because the Form submits Newlines, whereas you are viewing it in HTML rather than Plain Text.

 

So, Use nl2br() to convert Plain Text Newlines into HTML <BR> Tags.

 

echo ("<tr><td>".nl2br($row[instructions])."</td>");

 

-cb-

[captain_scarlet87]

IT is because the Form submits Newlines, whereas you are viewing it in HTML rather than Plain Text.

 

So, Use nl2br() to convert Plain Text Newlines into HTML <BR> Tags.

 

echo ("<tr><td>".nl2br($row[instructions])."</td>");

 

-cb-

 

Tried this but this error came up:

 

An error occurred in script 'C:\wamp\www\html\view_instructions.php' on line 26:

Use of undefined constant instructions - assumed 'instructions'

 

Any further ideas?

[ChemicalBliss]

I should of done it in my code but;

 

You need to encapsulate each key your using in single quotes:

 

'instructions'

'title'

 

etc..

 

-cb-

[captain_scarlet87]

Thanks cb, it worked!