# Text Output Display in Rails is OUT OF CONTROL! **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [February 26, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211 "2010-02-26T18:50:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jackster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211/1 "2010-02-26T18:50:51Z")
I have a shell command statement in my controller that runs a ruby script and puts this text output into my instance variable which I call in my view. Controller Code: ` @data = /usr/bin/ruby_script.rb ` View Code: ` <%= @data %> ` The problem is when @data has long strings of data, the don’t wrap in my view so they go off page in the browser. How can I force long strings contained in @data to word wrap in the browser? I tried putting them in a table but that didn’t help. Thanks jackster ---
**Author:** ![jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jackster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211/2 "2010-02-26T20:19:27Z")
On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 9:50 AM, jackster the jackle [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I have a shell command statement in my controller that runs a ruby > script and puts this text output into my instance variable which I call > in my view. > View Code: > ` > <%= @data %> > ` So are you really using the CODE tag? Regardless, > The problem is when @data has long strings of data, the don’t wrap in my > view so they go off page in the browser. [http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS21/text.html#propdef-white-space](http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS21/text.html#propdef-white-space) – Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid twitter: @hassan ---
**Author:** ![jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jackster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211/3 "2010-02-26T21:29:52Z")
“So are you really using the CODE tag? Regardless,” Thanks Hassan, No I’m not using these tags, I used them for the purposes of the forum (which didn’t help)…sorry about that confusion. The link to that document looks like exactly what I need…it appears that I need to do this in my CSS file? thanks jackster ---
**Author:** ![jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jackster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211/4 "2010-02-26T22:28:48Z")
On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 12:29 PM, jackster the jackle [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > No I’m not using these tags, I used them for the purposes of the forum > (which didn’t help)…sorry about that confusion. NP. The typical browser default for CODE tags is preformatted (white space is significant and retained exactly). Anyway, > The link to that document looks like exactly what I need…it appears > that I need to do this in my CSS file? Yes, apply the appropriate white-space setting to the selector for the container (div, p, whatever) holding that content. – Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid twitter: @hassan ---
**Author:** ![jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jackster)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211/5 "2010-02-27T01:13:50Z")
On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 2:54 PM, jackster the jackle [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > Yes, apply the appropriate white-space setting to the selector for the > > container (div, p, whatever) holding that content. > > What about the fact that it’s in a table, should I put the div tags > outside that? No, try applying the style directly to the container it’s in, so if that’s a TD of a table, use that. – Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid twitter: @hassan ---
**Author:** ![jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jackster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jackster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/text-output-display-in-rails-is-out-of-control/184211/6 "2010-02-26T23:54:59Z")
> Yes, apply the appropriate white-space setting to the selector for the > container (div, p, whatever) holding that content. What about the fact that it’s in a table, should I put the div tags outside that? thanks for the help jackster