String.concat problem

[Ztruker]

This is a function that I've used in my web pages for years. It stopped working a few years ago and I never bothered to look at why. Today I finally took the time to debug it and I get a message that says String.concat is not a function. I've done some looking but it's been a long time since I've done any coding of any kind and truthfully I'm lost. I'm looking at PHP manuals and documentation but have not found what I need (yet).

Thanks, Rich K.

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Make selected text bold, italicized or underlined by adding the appropriate
// HTML tags around the selected text.
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
function makeText($char)
{
var $tb = document.getElementById("textinput");
if (document.selection)
{
var str=document.selection.createRange().text;
if (str != '' && str!= 'undefined')
{
var sel=document.selection.createRange();
sel.text="<"+$char+">"+str+"</"+$char+">";
}
}
else if (typeof $tb.selectionStart != 'undefined')
{
var $before, $after, $selection;
if ($tb.selectionStart == 0) // Starts at left edge?
$before = ''; // No before then
else
$before= $tb.value.substring(0, $tb.selectionStart);

$selection = $tb.value.substring($tb.selectionStart, $tb.selectionEnd);
if ($selection != "")
{
if ($tb.selectionEnd == $tb.value.length) // Ends at left edge?
$after = ''; // No after then
else
$after = $tb.value.substring($tb.selectionEnd, $tb.value.length);
$tb.value= String.concat($before, "<"+$char+">", $selection, "</"+$ch+">", $after);
}
}
$tb.focus();
return false;
}

 

[Michalio]

This is not a php but javascript issue.
Maybe you are using some library that override the String object. You are using the $ch variable that is defined nowhere, probably you wanted to use the $char variable.

Try to use:

$tb.value= $before + "<"+$char+">" + $selection +"</"+$ch+">" +$after;

There is also possibility that the text input does nit exists when you run your script, so that may be a reason of the issue

 

[Ztruker]

Sorry, javascript it is.

For completeness, here is a debug trace of the function. It all looks good but the

<b>

and

</b>

never get insterted into the data. What really bugs me is this used to work.

Agree the variable needed to be $char. I'll take this to a javascript forum for additional help after I spend more time looking at JS help online.

Thank you.

Note: Tried to embed two screen captures of the debug session. Put them on Google drive but they don't show up here. Where else can I put images so they will be visible here?

 

[Ztruker]

More testing found that this code works correctly with Seamonkey 2.53.5..1 and older browsers under Windows 7.
Any browser tested so far under Windows 10 or 11 doesn't work.