Exporting TextField in Django - Python model to PDF using ReportLab - line break becomes unprintable characters

Question

I have a model attribute that saves user's HTML Textarea input. Because when the user hit enter in the Textarea, the form submitted, I have written a small Javascript code to input the "\n" automatically, rendering line break.

When I try to export this attribute to PDF using ReportLab, I receive non-printable characters that looks like 2 black rectangles. When I try to copy them to textpad, it becomes "n".

here is the code from the model

class Package(models.Model):
    content = models.TextField()

here is the JavaScript and Html for the specific field:

     <form action="" role="form" method="post">{% csrf_token %}
         <textarea class="form-control" autofocus  name="content">{{content}}</textarea>

            <br/>
     </form>

     <script type="text/javascript">
      $('textarea').keypress(function(event) {
      if (event.which == 13) {
          event.preventDefault();
          var s = $(this).val();
          $(this).val(s+"\n");
      }
      });​
      </script>

This is the Reportlab code from views.py:

     from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
     from reportlab.platypus import Spacer
     from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter

     def create(pdf):
          packet = StringIO.StringIO()
          can = canvas.Canvas(packet, pagesize=letter)
          p_content = str(package.content)
          textobject = can.beginText(0.5*inch, 4.75*inch)

          for line in p_content:
              textobject.textOut(line)
              if line=="\n":
                  textobject.textLines(p_content)
          can.save()

Please help. I cannot seem to figure this out.

Many thanks.

Answer 1

I have received outside help so I will just post it here for anyone who is interested.

The problem is this line of codes:

      for line in p_content:
          textobject.textOut(line)
          if line=="\n":
              textobject.textLines(p_content)
      can.save()

The think is i PRINT out before I do a check of the escape character. The correct code should be

for c in p_content:
    if c == '\n':
        textobject.textLine()
    elif c == '\r':
        pass # do nothing
    else:
        textobject.textOut(c)