preg_replace

[cpradio]

// Parse all blogCode used in this comment/blog
// $contents = preg_replace("/\\[b\\](.?*)\\[\\/b]\\]/is","<b>$1</b>",$contents);
function ParseCode($text = "Invalid use of Function",$abCode = 1) {
    if ($abCode) {
        $query = mysql_query("select * from abCode");
        for ($i = 0; $i < mysql_numrows($query); $i++) {
            $abOpenTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"abOpenTag");
            $abCloseTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"abCloseTag");
            $htmlOpenTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"htmlOpenTag");
            $htmlCloseTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"htmlCloseTag");
            $text = preg_replace("/".addslashes($abOpenTag)."(.?*)".addslahses($abCloseTag)."/is","$htmlOpenTag$1$htmlCloseTag",$text);
        }
        return $text;
    }
} 

This is my first experiment with preg_replace and I want to know if this will give me the desired effect if...
  $abOpenTag has the value of "[ b ]" (without the spaces inbetween)
  $abCloseTag has the value of "[ /b ]" (without the spaces inbetween)
&nbsp;&nbsp;$htmlOpenTag has the value of "<b>"
&nbsp;&nbsp;$htmlCloseTag has the value of "</b>"

Will that work, or do I need to change a few things? I tried installing IIS yesterday but had all kinds on my laptop (i think its too slow ) but if anyone could help me here, I would appreciate it.

[cpradio]

Would it be better to only allow them to enter in the text that goes between the [ and ] or should I allow them to write the entire tag?

Here is the code I think will work if I just allow them to enter in the text.

// Parse all blogCode used in this comment/blog
// $contents = preg_replace("/\\[b\\](.?*)\\[\\/b\\]/is","<b>$1</b>",$contents);
function ParseCode($text = "Invalid use of Function",$abCode = 1) {
    if ($abCode) {
        $query = mysql_query("select * from abCode");
        for ($i = 0; $i < mysql_numrows($query); $i++) {
            $abOpenTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"abOpenTag");
            $abCloseTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"abCloseTag");
            $htmlOpenTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"htmlOpenTag");
            $htmlCloseTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"htmlCloseTag");
            $text = preg_replace("/\\[$abOpenTag\\](.?*)\\[\\/$abCloseTag\\])/is","$htmlOpenTag$1$htmlCloseTag",$text);
        }
        return $text;
    }
} 

Then let's say the following was entered:
&nbsp;&nbsp;$abOpenTag has the value of "b"
&nbsp;&nbsp;$abCloseTag has the value of "/b"
&nbsp;&nbsp;$htmlOpenTag has the value of "<b>"
&nbsp;&nbsp;$htmlCloseTag has the value of "</b>"

-Matt

[cpradio]

// Parse all blogCode used in this comment/blog
// $contents = preg_replace("/\\[b\\](.*?)\\[\\/b\\]/is","<b>$1</b>",$contents);
function ParseCode($text = "Invalid use of Function",$abCode = 1) {
    if ($abCode) {
        $query = mysql_query("select * from abCode");
        for ($i = 0; $i < mysql_numrows($query); $i++) {
            $abTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"abTag");
            $htmlOpenTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"htmlOpenTag");
            $htmlCloseTag = mysql_result($query,$i,"htmlCloseTag");
            $text = preg_replace("/\\[$abTag\\](.*?)\\[\\/$abTag\\]/is",
                                                            "$htmlOpenTag$1$htmlCloseTag",$text);
        }
        return $text;
    }
} 

[scoutt]

I'm not sure what you are trying to get out of this.

it looks like you are replacing [b] with this <b></b> and then same with the closing [ /b ]

[The Hobo]

I've always been confused by preg_replace and ereg_replace. I just use str_replace. Sounds cooler to me.

[cpradio]

im writing my own vbCode except all tags will be stored in a database and users will be able to define new tags.

And I must use preg_replace as it will allow me to figure out the text inbetween the tags much easier than i can with str_replace.

[The Hobo]

I don't see why you'd have to know what was between the tags?

[cpradio]

later I will because it may contain special attributes I need to parse and whatnot.

Also the reason behind this is so I can allow people to customize how comments and news are shown using the following:

{title}, {author}, {date}, {post}, {comment}, etc.

[cpradio]

Also I do not want all the [ and ] changed to < and > just certain ones that pertain to the tags in the database. So preg_replace helps there too.

-Matt

[The Hobo]

Gotcha