Dealing with "&" as a string in mysql queries

rob76

I am working with PHP4 and have some company names in a mysql database which sometimes have "&" as part of the string. For example "Smith & Jones".

When I run a query on the database, the query only returns "Smith" instead of "Smith & Jones". I have got round this in the past by using "Smith and Jones" as I know that "&" has some special significance.

How can I get round this and get the "&" in Smith & Jones to be treated as a literal part of the string, so that "Smith & Jones" is returned and not just "Smith"?

Thanks Rob

run_GMoney

A backslash ("\") should take care of it. Something like:

$company_name = "Smith \\& Jones";

rob76

Sorry, the problem is slightly different to what I first thought.

My problem is that I need to return the result using the GET method in a URL query string.

Eg. http://www.mydomain/getresult.php?Company=Smith & Jones

This of course doesn't work because the "&" has a special meaning. How can it be treated as part of "Smith & Jones" and not as "&" is normally treated ie. the next part of the query.

Drakla

Hi there.

Before you put the data into the database run it through htmlspecialchars() which will turn ampersands into the html equivalent so you can use it in this type of query. It also changes < and > which is essential because somebody might slap html tags into your data and do all sorts like providing free links or adverts, etc.

Think that should work for you.

keith73

Originally posted by Drakla
Hi there.

Before you put the data into the database run it through htmlspecialchars() which will turn ampersands into the html equivalent so you can use it in this type of query. It also changes < and > which is essential because somebody might slap html tags into your data and do all sorts like providing free links or adverts, etc.

Think that should work for you.

htmlspecialchars will turn & into & amp;

using addslashes puts a \ before any characters that could cause a problem.

and when using that string in a url, use urlencode and urldecode.

keith

rob76

Thanks, I fixed it with urlencode()