Force write space (null value)

[Anon]

How do I force mysql to write a space in mysql using php, for example: I have a bundle of variables all together:
... update SET Q='$q1$q2$q3$q4$q5' ...
$q1='1';
$q2='';
$q3='';
$q4='';
$q5='5';

I am having problems to store more than one space between values, because it considers the three ones as just one. But I really want to store the three space like this:

echo "1 5";

Not this
echo "1 5";

thanks

[Anon]

MySQL does not behave the way you describe. If you insert into a text column a value containing 5 consecutive spaces, then those 5 consecutive spaces will be stored and retrieved when you query the database. (Trailing whitespace, however, may be trimmed from columns of type varchar.)

Is it possible that you are overlooking the fact that redundant whitespace is not meaningful in HTML?

[Anon]

Ah! Yes, try printing the retrieved column inside <pre> tags and see if it doesn't look right.