textarea reformatting question

[Path9898]

I need to be able to convert the text from a textarea to a block of text and retain its formatting its formatting. The text in the textarea can be 10 words or 10 000 words so it’s a pain to work with it as a textarea. I have see several java scripts (http://corpocrat.com/2008/08/10/how-to-get-selected-value-in-textarea-using-javascript/ ) that can do this apparently, but I have not been able to get them to work.
The code I am using to display the text is really simple at this point:

 <tr> <td><br><strong>Notes :</strong></td></tr>
 <tr><td>
 <textarea rows="85" cols="130" readonly name="resolution" ><%=  resolution %> </textarea>
 </td>  </tr> 

any suggestions?

The textarea looks like this with formatting:
2/24/2012, 8:43:58 PM by ken - It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using Content here, content here, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for lorem ipsum will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).

2/24/2012, 8:43:38 PM by ken - The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.

2/24/2012, 8:43:13 PM by ken - Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry


If I remove the textarea tag it degrades to this:
2/24/2012, 8:43:58 PM by ken - It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using Content here, content here, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for lorem ipsum will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like). 2/24/2012, 8:43:38 PM by ken - The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham. 2/24/2012, 8:43:13 PM by ken - Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry

[Guido Geurs]

Is this a HTML and Java problem or do you want to transfer the text to VB6?
If it's only a Java problem, please place your call in the right forum.
The people over there have more experience and are better in answering this question.

[Path9898]

thanks for the reply, the issue is resolved.