php - Converting <br /> into a new line for use in a text area

Question

If I have a variable:

$var1 = "Line 1 info blah blah <br /> Line 2 info blah blah";

And a text area:

<textarea>echo $var1</textarea>

How can I get the text area to display a new line instead of displaying the text on a single like with a <br /> in it?

Edit: I have tried the following:

<textarea class="hobbieTalk" id="hobbieTalk" name="hobbieTalk" cols="35" rows="5" onchange="contentHandler('userInterests',this.id,this.value,0)"><?php

$convert=$_SESSION["hobbieTalk"];
$convert = str_replace("<br />", "
", $convert);
echo $convert;

?></textarea>

However the text area still contains the br tags in the lines.

Answer 1

Try this one

<?php
    $text = "Hello <br /> Hello again <br> Hello again again <br/> Goodbye <BR>";
    $breaks = array("<br />","<br>","<br/>");  
    $text = str_ireplace($breaks, "
", $text);  
?>  
<textarea><?php echo $text; ?></textarea>