Enable HTML codes within ad descriptions?

[Rich Z]

I just opened up the new classifieds section to a group of beta testers, and the first question I got was if I could enable HTML code processing within the text descriptions of the ads. Now I didn't see anywhere in the admin section to be able to do that, but something tells me that if I can't, I may a real tough sell on this system to my users. They are already using the forum structure of my vBulletin site and HTML code is enabled there. Most REALLY like that feature, so getting them to drop that capability to go to PP_Classifieds will be a REAL tough sell.

Anyone know how to enable this capability there?

Thanks.

[gholsie]

Originally Posted by Rich Z

I just opened up the new classifieds section to a group of beta testers, and the first question I got was if I could enable HTML code processing within the text descriptions of the ads. Now I didn't see anywhere in the admin section to be able to do that, but something tells me that if I can't, I may a real tough sell on this system to my users. They are already using the forum structure of my vBulletin site and HTML code is enabled there. Most REALLY like that feature, so getting them to drop that capability to go to PP_Classifieds will be a REAL tough sell. Anyone know how to enable this capability there?

We rececently found that it does not appear to support HTML. I just tried to paste HTML code into an ad and it only shows the code in the final ad.

-- Mike

[Rich Z]

Back in July of this year I was considering purchasing PP_Classifieds, but held off for a number of reasons. The HTML problem was one of them. At that time I emailed Chuck Scannell about this and got a reply that sounds hopeful:

>>One point in particular I need to check out is the capability of being
>>able
>>to post HTML codes within the description field. Many of my current
>>advertisers on FaunaClassifieds consider this as absolutely essential. So
>>I
>>need to determine if you software will do this.
>>
>>
> Nope not by default as this is a security risk. However it is a one line
> change so no biggy. Many customers have edited this to allow html
>

I sent an email to Chuck earlier today (Wednesday) as a followup to see if he could point me to the line he mentioned and the edit I would have to make on it.

I will follow up here when I hear back from him.

[Rich Z]

Chuck got back to me and posted the mod to enable HTML within the classifed ads text field:

try editing uploadproduct.php and find this line

$desc = fixmessage( $desc );

comment it out like this

//$desc = fixmessage( $desc );

You know this is a security feature

I made the change and it appears to work just fine now.

But I am not certain about how this will affect the viewing of the ad listings if there is a lot of HTML code being displayed. Might proof to be rather distracting. I may be tempted, if that is the case, to eliminate the display of the description text in that short preview-like display in the ad listings anyway. But I figure I'll wait and see how things go first.

[gholsie]

Originally Posted by Rich Z

Chuck got back to me and posted the mod to enable HTML within the classifed ads text field:



I made the change and it appears to work just fine now.

Rich, this worked for me as well. However, it only works when you intially upload an ad. It won't work if you edit an ad and insert the HTML. A similar change might need to be made in the ad-edit code.

My ad also displays some raw HTML code as well. It is distracting. I also noticed that my HTML isn't displaying properly. There is a lot of space between fields and tables don't seem to work.

-- Mike

[Rich Z]

Thanks for the warning. I would guess the same line of code is within the PHP module for the edits and additions. I'll have to put that on my "to do" list. If anyone discovers which file this is in before I get to it, please let me know.

Thanks.

[Rich Z]

Yeah, editing the ad definitely destroys the HTML display. The file you need to edit is "editproduct.php". Search on "$desc = fixmessage( $desc );" and simply comment it out.

Any other toe stubbers that anyone is aware of?