how to stop forms changing html symbols?

[adamgeorge]

Hello everyone.

here's php problem I've been having.

I have a form on my site, which accepts html, and stores it in a database for later.

So, if I put a nbsp; character in the form(you know the one... it won't show up in this post if I put the & at the front of it) and submit it to be stored in the database it put's it in the database and everythinks ok.

BUT... If I want to edit this record, and I select it out of the database, and try to display it in a <textarea> box, it won't show. It converts it to a space. but I don't want the space, 'cause I want to work with the code.

does anyone know how to stop the input boxes or textarea boxes from converting these special codes to their respective symobols? It does it with lt; and gt; too.

I'm not even sure if it's a php problem, or a html one?? any one have any idea?

thanks
-Adam 🙂

[Anon]

hello adam,
its not a php problem

the only thing -as far as i can see-
is to do some trick:
for example replace
' ' with ' '
this will make browsers display it like
' ':

<form>
<textarea>&amp;lt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;</textarea>
&lt;input type="text" value="&amp;nbsp;"&gt;
</form>

hth
chris

[Anon]

hello again,

unfortunately my trick doesnt work here
because you cannot see what i used:

'&amp' + ';' + 'nbsp;'
this will result in what you need:

'& nbsp;' <- try to imagine theres no space

works also with tags:
'&amp' + ';' + 'lt;input type="text"' + '&amp' + ';' + 'gt;'

chris

[Anon]

hell!

still the @!#$ is not displayed as i wanted!

next try:

'&' + 'amp' + ';' will result in '&'

so:

'&' + 'amp' + ';' + 'nbsp;'
will result in:
'& nbsp;' <- try to imagine theres no space

chris

[adamgeorge]

Thanks Chris, I got it working now.

thanks a lot man.

later
-Adam 🙂