[ic] select box "options" metadata syntax clarification

[interchange-users@icdevgroup.org (paul jordan)]

OK, I have made many selectbox widgets via it's metadata in ADMIN. I
have been under the impression that the correct format to enter this
data into the "options" box was:
______________________
1=I choose one,       |
2=I choose two,       |
3=I choose three      |
______________________|

Take the above as literal.
-I place a hard return after each value=label, pair
-I place a comma after each value=label pair, except last one.

This has worked more than fine for the last year. Today as I was
altering a discount mechanism, after much debugging I realized I had to
enter it like so:
_____________________
1=I choose one,2=I   |
choose two,3=I choose|
three                |
_____________________|

The discount mechanism, which was designed by someone else, was
originally like this, however I never noticed it because as I said, I
didn't build it. So, basically I have had both syntax methods working
for a long time, however it seems in this instance, I "have to" use the
latter. There are NO filters being applied to the data in either
situation BTW. 4.9.3

I would simply like to know what is the absolute correct syntax for
entry... anyone??

TIA

Paul