PHP noob needs help with some string formatting.

[ScoTTy_XY]

Hey guys I was wondering if you could please help a noob learn abit more about php.

 

I have a mysql database with a text column in it. When browsed within the structure of the database the text is formatted as it was entered with spaces and new lines etc.

 

But when i retrieve the text into a php variable and try and display it within a paragraph all the text becomes one big block.

 

I was wondering if someone could please give me a lesson on retaining all the formatting in terms of spaces and new lines (enters). I want to display the text exactly as it is entered. Rather than compressed into one big paragraph.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers guys

 

Dale

 

 

[benji87]

This is something ive not long learnt but i know this code works for a fact as im using it right now. So i cant really explain it all, but hey it works!

 

Once you have registered you're text from the database for example

$text=mysql_result($result,$i,"text");[code] (You may have done this differently)

Then you need to use php explode to include line breaks. This code also includes a number to limit the amount of characters displayed, which is always useful. Just set it to your own needs as you can see mine is set at 1500 characters: [code]$text = wordwrap($text, 1500, "|", 1);
list($text) = explode('|', $text);

 

Then when you come to echo the text this is what you need to put

<? echo nl2br("$text") ?>

[/code][/code]