Something

<?php

cacaca


<?php
 function nl2brnl($text, $num)
  {
   return preg_replace("/\\r\\n|\\n|\\r/", sprintf("% -".(5+$num)."s","<BR>\\n"), $text);
  }

$a = " one\\n two\\r\\n three";

$b = nl2brnl($a, 2);

var_dump($b);

/* output will be:
string(30) " one<BR>
   two<BR>
   three"
*/

echo "  <P>\\n  ";
echo $b

/* output will be:
  <P>
   one<BR>
   two<BR>
   three
*/
?>