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ElizabethGailLittle
ElizabethGailLittle
Inspiring
September 2, 2020
Answered

Getting text to wrap in an input field

  • September 2, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 1522 views

I'm working on an imput form.  One text field may have lengthy data.  When the record is displayed, I'd like for it to be shown in several lines as it is on the display records page when I do nothing to format it.  I absolutely cannot get it to show more than will fit in the input field width on one line.  Not very user-friendly!  Any suggestions appreciated.

 

By the way, it seems strange to me that Dreamweaver does not directly support use of databases.  Surely most applications require display from databases, which means the data has to be maintained.  If it's going to be maintained by end users, there needs to be user-friendly means for them to do so.  I'm struggling to provide that.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Ben M

I'm not loading formatted text into an input.  I take a data field containing <span class="RedHdr">Sunday, June 15</span> and display it in TWO input fields.  One is RedHdr, the other is Sunday, June 15.  But to update the record, let's say someone changes the date or changes the color.  I need to wrap it up again so I post <span class="LgGreenHdr">Thursday, August 16</span>.  I can't figure out how to do that.  I can get the variable just fine, but when I post using tokens I don't seem able to use a variable name instead of the field name, example $_POST[$variable].  I also can't directly set Homepage_text['p_heading'] = $variable.  Is there a way to do this?


Before you post to the database it should be written as $_POST['variable'] not $variable.  Doing $variable on the inside of that statement would assume that the variable exists, and instead what you are grabbing is the reference to the $_POST data and not an actual variable that has been defined.

 

If you wanted to uncomplicate this so you don't have to store the HTML in the database and do the join there, you could just look at this from the reverse point of view.  By that, I mean, store your values spanClass and date as 2 fields.  Then when you need to print the span on page include the variables then.  As an example:

 

echo "<span class='".$array['spanClass']."'>".$array['dateVal']."</span>";

 

3 replies

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 2, 2020

#1 Below is a <textarea> field for a product's short description and a 2nd one for the long description. Notice the first has a character limit.   Short descriptions appear on the summary page where space is limited.  Long descriptions appear on the details page where space is not limited.  MySQL database fields are programmed accordingly.

 

CMS FORM MARKUP:

<label for="SHORTDESC">SHORTDESC</label>
<textarea name="SHORTDESC" maxlength="255" required id="SHORTDESC" type="textarea" placeholder="255 characters max, no smart quotes" onkeyup="this.value=this.value.replace('’','')" value=""></textarea>


<label for="LONGDESC">LONGDESC</label>
<textarea id="LONGDESC" type="textarea" placeholder="HTML code is OK, no smart quotes" required name="LONGDESC" onkeyup="this.value=this.value.replace('’','')" value=""></textarea>

 

SQL FIELD TYPE:

SHORTDESC = varchar(255)

LONGDESC = text

 

#2 Dreamweaver is merely a front end coding tool.  What you bring to the backend depends on you. Building a custom CMS is an advanced project that's not suited to everyone.  Server-side or client-side code used to query databases varies a lot by hosting and personal preferences.  There's no one-size fits all.  A boxed CMS solution like Perch CMS might work for this project.  Or you could go in an entirely different direction and build your app with 3rd party extensions (DMX Zone or Web Assist) or use frameworks like Angular & Node.js.  Your choice.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
ElizabethGailLittle
ElizabethGailLittleAuthor
Inspiring
September 2, 2020

My code for this field:

<td><input type="textarea" name="p_text" size="62" value="<?php echo htmlentities($p_text, ENT_COMPAT, 'utf-8'); ?>"></td>

I don't understand the placeholder or onkeyup.  I'm using html & php.  Everything I know is from manuals & some video tutorials.  This forum is my only access to other developers.   There's clearly a LOT I don't know.

 

 

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 2, 2020

There's nothing exotic about my code.

 

Placeholder = HTML5 forms attribute.  It shows users a hint in the field.

https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_input_placeholder.asp

 

onkeyup = JavaScript to strip out possible curly quotes before they ever reach the database.  I did this because some users copy & paste formatted content from Word which can mess things up big time.

onkeyup="this.value=this.value.replace('’','')"

 

 

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
Jon Fritz
Community Expert
Jon FritzCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 2, 2020

DW used to have some basic database functionality, but it was removed from the program several versions ago. Adobe chose removal over rewriting the code produced to modern standards.

Adobe has said they will be reintroducing that functionality, but just recently announced it is on hold until other issues are worked out first.

In the mean time, there are paid third party extensions available from WebAssist and DMXZone that can do it, or obsiously, writing the code by hand.

O
osgood_
Legend
September 2, 2020

You use a textarea form field rather than an input form field which is only meant for short amounts of information.

 

Dreamweaver dropped the ball some years back in terms of dynamic database driven websites and wasted their time introducing a lot of redundancy into the program, much which didnt stand the test of time and is now defunct.

 

Those of us that have been around long enough said it would prove to be the final nail in its coffin, we were proved correct. Dreamweaver by todays standards is a shadow of its former self and way, way off the pace in terms of modern web development. Although Adobe wont say it, for some reason, Dreamwraver is not their priority.

 

Some time back the road map for Dreamweaver threatened to reintroduce database capabilities but as far as l know thats been put on hold again or at least pushed to the back of the pile, although l believe you can trial whats been introduced to date in the pre-release version.

 

Same old story, while other available products are  being updated on a weekly basis with innovative solutions Dreamweaer continues to fall further behind, unless of course that isnt true in which case can an Adobe employee please explain the situation and the lack of urgency and features.

    ElizabethGailLittle
    ElizabethGailLittleAuthor
    Inspiring
    September 2, 2020

    I will try textarea again.  I tried once but maybe didn't get syntax right.  If Dreamweaver is getting behind, I'd love to know what other options there are.  Strange that Adobe has so many art-related apps but doesn't care about web design!  my email is on gmail [address removed by moderator as per forum rules.]  I use hostmonster and have been entering data using phpmyadmin for ages.  I want end user to enter data, so I'm struggling.

     

    Another problem:  I have a field that displays formatted text.  To display in the input form, I strip the formatting, display a table with the formatting options, & let them choose.  I need to wrap the text in format code before updating.  Using PDO with prepared statements & tokens.  Can't figure out how to reset this field!

     

    Thanks for the response!

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