How to replace char(10) [sql server] to something else in c#

Question

Simple Question, the string im saving into my database uses char(10) to represent new line, i want to replace it with <br /> before saving it into the database so its displayed as an actual new line when i view it in a html page.

how im supposed to do that ? since there is no char(10) in c#

im using:

StringName.Replace("char(10)", "<br />");

which doesnt work.

my Code :

 var InscriptionText = Request["InscriptionText"];
InscriptionText.Replace("\n", "<br />");
var qry = "Instert into .." (normal query)
db.query(qry);

then i view the data in the databse to find that it didnt replace it and its saved as "line1line2line3line4"

Do you mean `char(10) = '\n'`? Why not `StringName = StringName.Replace("\n", "
");`. — Maximilian Gerhardt, Apr 24 '16 at 20:03
How can you say `doesnt work`? Show the code how you're using it. — Shaharyar, Apr 24 '16 at 20:06
When i use "\n" in an update query it doesn work but char(10) works fine, ive tried \n in c# too, didnt work. — user2962142, Apr 24 '16 at 20:09
Please share the code which doesn't work, how can we assume what you're writing? — Shaharyar, Apr 24 '16 at 20:10
`Replace` method returns a new string, you need to catch it as well. Just change the second line to `InscriptionText = InscriptionText.Replace("\n", "
");` — Shaharyar, Apr 24 '16 at 20:13
char(10) in C# should be `(char)10`: http://stackoverflow.com/q/289792/5089204 — Shnugo, Apr 24 '16 at 20:14
Give us the real cleartext and what output you're expecting. Do you have a literal "char(10)" in that text? And ofcouse you can have a `char` representing the number `10`, it's `'\n'` (or `char c = (char)10`). — Maximilian Gerhardt, Apr 24 '16 at 20:14
@Shaharyar Ops sorry its my first time using this method, Post it as answer to accept it. — user2962142, Apr 24 '16 at 20:15
How do you *view the data in the database* ? SSMS will not show line breaks in grid-data. Switch the output to text-output. — Shnugo, Apr 24 '16 at 20:15

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 24 '16 at 20:18

Replace method returns a new string, you need to save it.

Just change the second line:

var InscriptionText = Request["InscriptionText"];
InscriptionText = InscriptionText.Replace("\n", "<br />");
//...

But, I would suggest you not to edit the actual user input. Save it as it comes to you. And replace it while showing it back to user. Just a suggestion!

gmiley · Answer 2 · 2016-04-24T20:18:46.763

In c# you could do this:

string breakText1 = "Some text without a line break.";
string breakText2 = "Some text " + Environment.NewLine + "with a line break.";
string breakText3 = "Some text \nwith a new line.";
string breakText4 = "Some text \rwith a carriage return.";

Console.WriteLine("Strings before replace...");
Console.WriteLine(breakText1);
Console.WriteLine(breakText2);
Console.WriteLine(breakText3);
Console.WriteLine(breakText4);

Console.WriteLine("Strings after replace...");
Console.WriteLine(breakText1.Replace("\r\n", "<br />").Replace("\r", "<br />").Replace("\n", "<br />").Replace("<br /><br />", "<br />"));
Console.WriteLine(breakText2.Replace("\r\n", "<br />").Replace("\r", "<br />").Replace("\n", "<br />").Replace("<br /><br />", "<br />"));
Console.WriteLine(breakText3.Replace("\r\n", "<br />").Replace("\r", "<br />").Replace("\n", "<br />").Replace("<br /><br />", "<br />"));
Console.WriteLine(breakText4.Replace("\r\n", "<br />").Replace("\r", "<br />").Replace("\n", "<br />").Replace("<br /><br />", "<br />"));

Of course, this could be done much more elegantly, but this gets the idea across and covers the different common combinations of Carriage Return and/or Line Feed.

How to replace char(10) [sql server] to something else in c#

2 Answers2