note 71514 added to function.preg-replace

Hi I use a form with a textarea. when i see an error with entered data, i call back the same form script. by using the nl2br fonction in my textaera validation scritp, it modifies the textearea content with "<br />" but each time i submit, if in other field contens error, it adds a new "<br />" in the textarea content. i made this but it does not work. As i'm new, i would appreciate some help... $str['a'] = preg_replace('/^({<br />})+$/','<br />',$str['a']); by the way, anyone made some script to secure the content entered in a textarea? to avoid security issues? $str['a'] = str_replace('<?php>','',$_REQUEST['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('<?>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('?>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('<html>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('</html>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('<body>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('</body>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('<div>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('</div>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('<ul>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = str_replace('<li>','',$str['a']); $str['a'] = htmlspecialchars(nl2br($str['a'])); $str['a'] = preg_replace('/^({<br />})+$/','<br />',$str['a']); ---- Server IP: 195.221.21.36 Probable Submitter: 82.225.59.175 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.preg-replace.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/71514 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/71514 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/71514 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php