Hello!

In this tutorial we'll be goingto create a smilies system.

So you can use smilies in your text by just using: : ) or : D, etc!

We'll be doing it the same as with the BBcodes system but then for our smilies!

Let's start!

The smilies

First we'll make an function for it.
We'll call it: smilies.

Since a function works like this:



our function will look like this:



Now $text should contain the string where the smilies codes should be replaced to images by.
An example to run the function and give a value to $text:



Oke, lets start with the content of the function.

We'll start with creating an variable for the smilie codes and images.



Once we made an array of those; : ) will be replaced by smilie.gif and : D will be replaced by: bigrin.gif, etc..
Now we have to set it into an array, we'll use the function: explode() for this.
This function works as follow:



it will explode the variable in an array, each string separated by [char].
So for example:



will produce the array:



but this:



will also produce the array:



well, in our case is each smilie code and images separated by: ,
so we'll use:



Oke, let's do it.




So $smilies will make an array from the string $smilie_codes, each array part seperated by : , in the $smilie_codes.
And for $images the same but then for the string $smilie_images.
$smilies[0] will be replaced by $images[0](this will replace : ) by smilie.gif), $smilies[1] by $images[1], etc..

Let's put it together and set it into our function.



Now we'll count the amount of smilies (array parts). We'll use the function count() for this.
This functions works as follow:



So in our case the arrays are in the variable: $smilies and $images.
We'll just count one of them, cause they should those have the same amount of array parts if correct.



Now $amount will contain the amount of string parts(smilie codes) there are in the array $smilies.
Let's put all together to see what we have now.



Now we'll make a loop,and since $smilies[0](: )) should be replaced by $images[0](smilie.gif)[/b] we can make an integer variable which will hold the array number, cause the ones which are equal to eachother should be replaced($smilies[1] by $images[1], etc.), and then let it replace them by eachother if there's one found in the string we want to replace it in, and then increase it untill it's equal to the last array number(which is equal to $amount).
We'll use the for() loop; if you've no idea what this is, I advice you to have a look at this tutorial.



We set $i equal to 0 (the first array part/string number) and will increase it each time, untill it's equal to the last one(which number is in $amount generated).
Now we have to replace everything.
We'll be using the function str_replace for this, it's good enough to let this function do it.
So how the function works?



So in our case we want to replace all smilie codes ($smilies[$i]) by the smilie images($images[$i]) in the string $text.



now $text will contain the new text, the same variable so, it will change all smilie codes by the correct smilie images which should be at the same array ("part/string") number.
In this example you see it will be replaced by:



so in this case the smilies should be located in the folder 'images', if not, our change the directory correctly or change the code
It should be in the for loop, so lets do it.



Now we only have to let our function return the new text which is in the variable $text cause there we replaced all smilies in correctly by the smilie images.
We'll use the Return() function for this.



In our case is the variable $text so it will look like:



Oke, so now: let's put EVERYTHING together for OUR FINAL RESULT ! ! !




And you're done!
You can now add images and smilie codes by yourself, upload some images in the correct name as you did in the script to to a folder; call the folder 'images' or change the script if you called it else or just have it in the root directory.

You can now try it out:



Enjoy!

Good luck, and I hope you'd understand my tutorial

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!


Skyfe.