(idea) by rdude Tue Oct 16 2001 at 6:18:14

I GOT IN A FIGHT WITH MY LAWNMOWER

So, I was sitting there, wondering, what's the difference between <strong> and <b>. Then, I reread (for the zillionth time) N-Wing's informative writeup, E2 HTML Tags. So, says N-Wing, about <strong> and <em>, these are better? Cool, I think, and run off to the E2 Text Formatter to write my next writeup, On The Possibility, Origin, and Likelihood of a Higher Entity or Entities. The title should be in bold, I think, so I put asteriks around it. But, alas, the text formatter uses <b> tags! Oh no, I think, for N-Wing has told me that <b> tags are evil! This formatter must be able to use <strong> and <em> tags! It must be so, for N-Wing has told me so!

<mblase> If you have any problems, comments, or whatnot, send a /msg to mblase.

So, I think, I must /msg mblase to make this text formatter support <strong> and <em> tags. This will fix all my worries! This will (almost) save the world! So /msg mblase I do.

Paraphrased:
(r) mblase says It should support both sets of tags since some users have a preference.

This is true, I think. For N-Wing and I like <strong> and <em>, but what if mblase likes <strong> and <i>? So then, I set off on my quest to expand the Text Formatter which is in a language I barely even remember. After a while, the following stuff appears in front of me: (Changes are in bold. See the original Text Formatter code for more.) 


<input type="checkbox" name="usestrong"> Use <strong>&lt;strong&gt;</strong> instead of <b>&lt;b&gt;</b>



<input type="checkbox" name="useem"> Use <em>&lt;em&gt;</em> instead of <i>&lt;i&gt;</i>



  // get EM vs. I, B vs. STRONG preference
  if (myform.useem.checked) { var em = "true"; }
	else { var em = "false"; }
  if (myform.usestrong.checked) {var strong = "true"; }
	else { var strong = "false"; }



  // add text styles
  for (var i=0; i<myform.slashed.length; i++) {
    var myradio = getRadio("slashed", i);
    if (myradio.checked) {
	if (myradio.value == "b") { if (strong == "true") { myradio.value = "strong"; } }
	if (myradio.value == "i") { if (em == "true") { myradio.value = "em"; } }
        text = addStyles("\\/", myradio.value, text);
	}
  }
  for (var i=0; i<myform.starred.length; i++) {
    var myradio = getRadio("starred", i);
    if (myradio.checked) { 
	if (myradio.value == "b") { if (strong == "true") { myradio.value = "strong"; } }
	if (myradio.value == "i") { if (em == "true") { myradio.value = "em"; } }
	text = addStyles("\\*", myradio.value, text);
	}
  }
  for (var i=0; i<myform.underlined.length; i++) {
    var myradio = getRadio("underlined", i);
    if (myradio.checked) {
	if (myradio.value == "b") { if (strong == "true") { myradio.value = "strong"; } }
	if (myradio.value == "i") { if (em == "true") { myradio.value = "em"; } }
	text = addStyles("_", myradio.value, text);
	}
  }

It works!! Unfortunately, there's a problem. The problem such that, once you decide to use <strong> instead of <b> and/or <em> instead of <i>, you cannot change back until you reload/refresh the page. Since I sort of half-coded, half-guessed, I'm really lucky it works as much as it does. But, I don't have the slightest idea where the problem is! But, basically, it works... Still, how do I fix it!! I must know! But, alas, I do not. Anybody got any ideas?

PS: Yes!!! I finally get to use that Edevify! button!!

I like it!