Using single quotes in HREF's + sorting rows prob

NetRoam

Hi all!

I have just begun learning PHP and I'm currently trying to make a sort of video-system so I can keep track on which videos I have 🙂

But I have a little problem ... I have made a link on the title which should go to a php-document that shows details of the video ... it also works fine on most titles, but it doesn't work on the titles with a "single quote" in the title - for example Wayne's World ... the file I'm linking to in the HREF is for example:

video.php?title=Wayne's World

But as I click the link it only tries to get "video.php?title=Wayne" and leaves out the rest ...

I'm well aware of the fact that I need to use some sort of replace function, but none of the things I've tried seems to be working for me, so that's why I wanted to know if people here could be of help?

The system is a bit more complicated than what I described above, so unfortunately it's not possible to just execute the HREF and instead of the title replace it with an ID.

That was problem no. 1 ... problem no. 2 is a sorting rows problem. The videos have a number which I had to make a "varchar" since there are also letters in them (original tapes for example) ... but as I try to order the videos by that number, it sorts the numbers like this:

1
10
100
101
11
12
2
21

and so on ...

I realize that I would need to make an "order by 0+number" for it to work, but then all the original tapes with the "org" number will come first and I don't want that ... does anyone know how to solve that problem?

I'm sorry this might sound really confusing, but I hope someone will be able to help me out ... otherwise please do ask me to be a bit more specific about the problem! Thanks in advance!

/// NetRoam

kamy99

trfor your first problem use the htmlspecialchars() function.

HTH

NetRoam

Yes, I have tried that ... doesn't work either ... otherwise I'm using it wrong, so please tell me what to do.

I tried the following:

echo htmlspecialchars(str_replace("'", "\'", $row['title']));

Is there something wrong in that line or does anybody know the right way to do this?

Thanx!

/// NetRoam

kamy99


echo htmlspecialchars($row['title']);

NetRoam

Doesn't work unfortunately!!

remember it's within the <a href="">

/// NetRoam

ahundiak

Here is a working example:

<?php

  /* Put out the link */
  $title = htmlspecialchars("Wayne's World");

  echo "<a href=\"test.php?name=$title\">$title</a><br />\n";

  /* See any results */
  if (isset($_GET['name']))
  {
    echo 'GOT ' . stripslashes($_GET['name']);
  }

?>

NetRoam

Yes, it did work if I put it in a single php-file, but for some reason I have difficulty converting it to my system (still a newbie at this, so ... )

What I might have lacked to say at the very beginning is that I have already added the titles to my database. I have then made a complete list of all videos I have, and it's right AFTER that list has been made (with a loop) that I have added this link that should show extra details of the video, so the code looks like this as I retrieve the data:

echo "<table cellspacing='0' cellpadding='3' border='0'>";
echo "<tr>";
echo "<td><b><a href='video_info.php?title=";
echo $row['title'];
echo "'>";
echo $row['title'];
echo "</a></b></td>";
echo "<td>
echo $row['starring'];
echo "</td>";
echo "<td>";
echo $row['genre'];
echo "</td>";
echo "</tr>";
echo "</table>";

In Wayne's World's case the output would be something like:

Wayne's World ......... Mike Myers ......... Comedy

But as you can see ... I'm not sure how I should use the htmlspecialchars() code to make it work the way it should.

/// NetRoam

PS. As I added the data to the database, I didn't use an "addslashes" function, just so you know 🙂

ahundiak

All should really need to do then is to use

echo htmlspecialchars($row['title']);

for the first time that you echo title.

You raised a good point about not using addslashes when adding data to mysql. PHP has the unfortunate habit of automatically adding slashes to data received from the browser. That's why I used stripslashes in the example.

You do need to make sure of exactly what is in mysql. You may actually have slashes without realizing it. Try querying directly from mysql if you still have a problem. Or do

echo htmlspecialchard(stripslashes($row['title']));

NetRoam

Nope, it didn't work, but I figured out a solution to my problem!

I just used "urlencode" instead - then everything works like a charm!!!

Now I just hope I can figure out a way to get my problem no. 2 solved 🙂))

Thanx a bunch!!!

/// NetRoam

ahundiak

I forgot about urlencode(). That is a correct solution.

As far as the sorting issue, one way is to read all your records into an array of arrays, write a custom compare routine then use usort() to sort the array. The manual has an example. With usort you have complete control over the exact sorting criteria.