Return HTML code in javascript?

Question

I'm fairly new to javascript and I'm wondering how I could get this piece of code (part of a bigger whole) to do what I want. I'd like to add HTML to the prhases 'articles in shopping cart' and 'article in shopping cart'. Is this possible? Many thanks.

I don't mean styling (bold or italic), this is what i'd want it to return:

return quantity + (quantity == 1 ? ' 
  article in shopping cart <span class="simpleCart_quantity"></span>- 
 <span class="simpleCart_total"></span>
 <a href="shoppingcart.html">Show</a>' : 
 ' articles in shopping  cart 
  <span class="simpleCart_quantity"></span>-
  <span class="simpleCart_total"></span>
  <a href="shoppingcart.html">Show</a>');

I know this is not possible, how is it possible?

quantity: function () {
    var quantity = 0;
    simpleCart.each(function (item) {
        quantity += item.quantity();
    });
    if (quantity == 0) {
        return 'Your shopping cart is empty';
    } else {
        return quantity + (quantity == 1 ? ' article in shopping cart' : ' articles in shopping cart');
    }
},

Answer 1

Of course it's possible, although whether whatever calls that function does something sensible with the result is another matter.

Anyway, just include the desired html in the strings as required:

return quantity + (quantity == 1 ? ' article <span class="x">in shopping cart</span>' :
                                   ' articles <i>in</i> shopping cart');

EDIT: the example that you added to the question doesn't work because it has syntax errors - your string literal contains newlines. Make it a valid string and it will work, either by putting each string all on one line or by concatenating individual strings:

return quantity + (quantity == 1 ?  
  'article in shopping cart <span class="simpleCart_quantity"></span>- <span class="simpleCart_total"></span> <a href="shoppingcart.html">Show</a>' : 
  'articles in shopping  cart <span class="simpleCart_quantity"></span>- <span class="simpleCart_total"></span> <a href="shoppingcart.html">Show</a>');

If the only difference between the strings you are using is whether "article" has an "s" on the end then try this:

return quantity + (quantity == 1 ? 'article' : 'articles') +
       ' in shopping cart <span class="simpleCart_quantity"></span>- <span class="simpleCart_total"></span> <a href="shoppingcart.html">Show</a>';