Question

This:

str = "test                 test"
ed.selection.setContent(str);//1

Behaves differently than this:

ed.selection.setContent("test                 test");//2

I’m working with a text editor, and setContent sets the value in the textbox.
1 sets the value in the textbox to

"test test"

and 2 sets it to

"test                 test".

I can only use variables in the program, not hardcoded values. What should I do? Why does this happen?

Answer 1

Are you using tinyMCE? (Please retag your question)
Their DOCs specificy:

this will cleanup the content before it gets set using the different
cleanup rules options

Try adding: {format : 'raw'} after the string, like so:

ed.selection.setContent("test                 test", {format : 'raw'});

On both accounts, and see if it helps.

Edit (final, I hope):
use str = str.replace(/\s/g, ' '); before inserting it to the function.
You can test it here, this should work.