[RESOLVED] Find hidden characters?

u-sit

Three OPTION/SELECTIONs picked by a customer are inserted in a POST string to PayPal.
Traps of this output show that the first 3 letters of the word degree are missing no matter what combinations of
OPTION/SELECTION are picked. Here’s three examples...

occupation=Consultant°ree=High+School
occupation=Technician°ree=Ph.D.
...
occupation=other°ree=other

The table HTML script is as follows:

<TABLE border=0 cellspacing=2 cellpadding=2 cols=3 width="60%" align=center>
<CAPTION align=top>  <br>Select one each of Occupation, Highest Degreee, and Specialization </CAPTION>
  <tr> <td colspan=2 rowspan=3> </td>
       <th colspan=1 align=center>Occupation</th>
                          <th>Highest Degree</th>
                          <th>Specialization</th>
  </tr>
  <tr align=center>
     <td><SELECT name=occupation size=10 multiple>
         <OPTION>Consultant <OPTION>Engineer <OPTION>Instructor <OPTION>Manager     <OPTION>Retiree
         <OPTION>Scientist  <OPTION>Student  <OPTION>Teacher    <OPTION>Technician  <OPTION>other
         </SELECT></td>

 <td><SELECT name=degree size= 7 multiple>
     <OPTION>High School <OPTION>AS <OPTION>BS <OPTION>MS <OPTION>M.D. <OPTION>Ph.D. <OPTION>other
 </SELECT></td>

 <td><SELECT name=specialty size= 9 multiple>
     <OPTION>Biology  <OPTION>Chemistry  <OPTION>Computer <OPTION>Engineering <OPTION>Management
     <OPTION>Medicine <OPTION>Psychology <OPTION>Physics  <OPTION>other
     </SELECT></td>
  </tr>
</TABLE>

Some kind of hidden character(s) is suspected but I don’t know how to search for these using UNIX vi editor or Notepad++.
Can anyone offer a suggestion (or a different forum)?

bradgrafelman

First thing I would start with is writing valid HTML.

u-sit

A long customer registration PHP script has these 4 sections of HTML script.
bradgrafelman kindly referred me to http://validator.w3.org/ where the following script was submitted.
(His suggestion gave me new direction but I’m still wandering around.)

<HTML>
  <HEAD>
   <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1">
    <TITLE>	RGSTRTN_07_7a.php	 
Send Registration data to DB. 	Includes mailing of freebies @ Jan 2011 US Postal rates.
    </TITLE>
  </HEAD>
     <BODY>

   <FORM ACTION="<?php ECHO $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" METHOD="POST"> 
<TABLE 	WIDTH='100%' align=CENTER>
<TR 	align=CENTER><TD>
<input 	type=hidden name=tried     value='yes' />
<input 	type=submit name=k         value="Submit (or Resubmit)" />
<input 	type=reset />
</TABLE>
   </FORM>	

   <form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"/> <!-- TEST --> 
<input type=hidden name=cmd 		value="_xclick"		/>
<input type=hidden name=business 	value="ntelleck@u-sit.net"	/>
<input type=hidden name=notify_url	value='http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/ HTMLpages/paypl_ntllck_loop3.php'/>																					
<input type=hidden name=payer_id	valule='TESTBUYERIDO2';											<input type=hidden name=return 		value='http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/InclReq/THNX.php'/>

<input type=hidden name=item_name 	value='Book'				/>
<input type=hidden name=mc_gross 		value=''				/> 
<input type=hidden name=mc_fee		value=''				/>

<input type=hidden name=amount 		value="<? echo $amount    ?>"	/>
<input type=hidden name=invoice 		value="<? echo $invoiceNo ?>"	/>
<input type=hidden name=rm 		value='2'				/>

<input type=hidden name=charset 		value='utf-8'				/>
<input type=hidden name=no_shipping 	value='1'				/>
<input type=hidden name=country		value="<? echo $country   ?>" 	/>
<input type=hidden name=tax 		value="0.00"				/>

<input type=hidden name=first_name	value="<? echo $first_name ?>" 	/>	
<input type=hidden name=last_name		value="<? echo $last_name  ?>" 	 />	
<input type=hidden name=email		value="<? echo $email      ?>" 	/>	

<input type=hidden name=s_h		value="$s_h" 	   			/>
<input type="image"  	src="http://images.paypal.com/images/x-click-but01.gif"
	   		name="submit" alt="Make payments with PayPal - it’s fast, free and secure!"	/>
 </form>

 <FORM ACTION="<?php ECHO $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" METHOD="POST"> 
<TABLE 	WIDTH='100%' align=CENTER>
	<TR 	align=CENTER><TD>
	<input 	type=hidden name=tried     value='yes' />
	<input 	type=submit name=k         value="Submit (or Resubmit)" /> ...or, in case of typing error...
	<input 	type=reset /> ... to re-enter your data. </TD></TR>
	</TABLE>
      </FORM>	
   </BODY>
</HTML>

http://validator.w3.org/check reported 3 Errors, 29 Warnings
Still trying but, I am not well enough versed in HTML to find the 3 errors validator found.
Any more suggestions much appreciated.

Weedpacket

I put your posted code in the validator and these are the three errors I get back:

Error Line 1, Column 1: no document type declaration; implying "<!DOCTYPE HTML SYSTEM>"

The description says how there should be a document type declaration, and mentions that there is a link to a page that gives instructions on how to add one (specifically, Learn how to add a doctype to your document from our FAQ.) Since the description of how to solve the problem and a link to specific instructions are given, no more needs to be said here.

Error Line 23, Column 42: there is no attribute "VALULE"

Pretty much self-explanatory what the problem is if you look closely enough at what the attribute is called.

Error Line 23, Column 57: character ";" not allowed in attribute specification list

In other words, the ';' shouldn't be there.

As for the warnings, they're all the same:

Warning Line n, Column m: NET-enabling start-tag requires SHORTTAG YES

As with all the other entries in the report, this one comes with a description about what the problem is. The description implies that the absence of a DOCTYPE (see Error 1) is largely responsible for warning: it guesses that you're trying to write XHTML (in which case you need to say so in the doctype); the problem with that guess is that XHTML requires its element and attribute names to be written in lower case, and for all attribute values to be quoted (something which that code is a long way from achieving) and there are some tags there that should end with "/>" but don't. So maybe you're trying to write HTML 4.01, in which case (again) you need to say so with the appropriate doctype.

u-sit

Thanks Weedpacket, another very helpful reply.

u-sit

Got the !DOCTYPE line (#1) accepted w/o error and progressed to the <form target... linel
Found that 'target' has been depricated and am using 'action' (not shown in script immediately below). The script being validated is...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" “http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd” />
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META http-equiv="content-type" content="utf-8” charset=”ISO-8859-1”

<TITLE>
RGSTRTN_07_7a.php Send Registration data to DB. Includes mailing of freebies @ Jan 2011 US Postal rates.
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" />

<input type=hidden name=cmd 		value="_xclick"		/>
<input type=hidden name=business 		value="ntelleck@u-sit.net"	/>

<input type=hidden name=notify_url		value='http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/HTMLpages/paypl_ntllck_loop3.php'/>		<input type=hidden name=payer_id		value='TESTBUYERIDO2'>									<input type=hidden name=return 		value='http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/InclReq/THNX.php'/>

<input type=hidden name=item_name 	value='Book'				/>
<input type=hidden name=mc_gross 		value=''				/> 
<input type=hidden name=mc_fee		value=''				/>

<input type=hidden name=amount 		value="<? echo $amount    ?>"	/>
<input type=hidden name=invoice 		value="<? echo $invoiceNo ?>"	/>
<input type=hidden name=rm 		value='2'				/>

<input type=hidden name=charset 		value='utf-8'				/>
<input type=hidden name=no_shipping 	value='1'				/>
<input type=hidden name=country		value="<? echo $country   ?>" 	/>
<input type=hidden name=tax 		value="0.00"				/>

<input type=hidden name=first_name	value="<? echo $first_name ?>" 	/>	
<input type=hidden name=last_name		value="<? echo $last_name  ?>"        />	
<input type=hidden name=email		value="<? echo $email      ?>" 	/>	

<input type=hidden name=s_h		value="$s_h" 	   			/>
<input type="image"  src="http://images.paypal.com/images/x-click-but01.gif"
	   name="submit" alt="Make payments with PayPal - it&#1267; fast, free and secure!"	/>
</form>

<FORM ACTION="<?php ECHO $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" METHOD="POST"> 
<TABLE 	WIDTH='100&#37;' align=CENTER>
<TR 	align=CENTER><TD>
<input 	type=hidden name=tried    value='yes' />
<input 	type=submit name=k         value="Submit (or Resubmit)" /> ...or, in case of typing error...
<input 	type=reset /> ... to re-enter your data. </TD></TR>
</TABLE>
    </FORM>	
</BODY>

</HTML>

Changed
<form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" />

to...

and then tested a dozen or so variations with no success. Now out of ideas and still reading web pages on <form /> statements.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

usit-hi

u-sit

!Back to square one!
After passing the html-validator w/o any errors I added a hugh chunk (16pages) of table formating code. This has always worked so I have not included it in the html-validator check. It didn't get past the first statement (!DOCTYPE). It was run again through validator w/o the 16 pages of table format. Now it again doesn't pass the validator. The script being tested (w/o the 16 pages) is shown below. Note that 2 lines of comment have been added as lines 2 and 3. The script doesn't pass the validator with or without these 2 lines.

Here's the error mssg...

Line 1, Column 64: character "“" invalid: only delimiter ">", delimiter "[", system identifier, "CDATA", "NDATA", "SDATA" and parameter separators allowed

…//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" “http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd” >

Here's the script...
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" “http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd” >
< !—References for DOCT YPE: http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/doctype.html -->
<!—Passed html validator www. http://validator.w3.org/check -->
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META http-equiv="content-type" content="utf-8” charset=”ISO-8859-1”

<TITLE>
RGSTRTN_07_7a.php Send Registration data to DB. Includes mailing of freebies @ Jan 2011 US Postal rates.
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" />
<input type=hidden name=cmd value="_xclick" />
<input type=hidden name=business value="ntelleck@u-sit.net" />

<input type=hidden name=notify_url		value='http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/HTMLpages/paypl_ntllck_loop3.php'/>		<input type=hidden name=payer_id		value='TESTBUYERIDO2'>									<input type=hidden name=return 		value='http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/InclReq/THNX.php'/>

<input type=hidden name=item_name 	value='Book'				/>
<input type=hidden name=mc_gross 		value=''				/> 
<input type=hidden name=mc_fee		value=''				/>

<input type=hidden name=amount 		value="<? echo $amount    ?>"	/>
<input type=hidden name=invoice 		value="<? echo $invoiceNo ?>"	/>
<input type=hidden name=rm 		value='2'				/>

<input type=hidden name=charset 		value='utf-8'				/>
<input type=hidden name=no_shipping 	value='1'				/>
<input type=hidden name=country		value="<? echo $country   ?>" 	/>
<input type=hidden name=tax 		value="0.00"				/>

<input type=hidden name=first_name	value="<? echo $first_name ?>" 	/>	
<input type=hidden name=last_name		value="<? echo $last_name  ?>"        />	
<input type=hidden name=email		value="<? echo $email      ?>" 	/>	

<input type=hidden name=s_h		value="$s_h" 	   			/>
<input type="image"  src="http://images.paypal.com/images/x-click-but01.gif"
	   name="submit" alt="Make payments with PayPal - it&#1267; fast, free and secure!"	/>
</form>

<FORM ACTION="<?php ECHO $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" METHOD="POST"> 
<TABLE 	WIDTH='100&#37;' align=CENTER>
<TR 	align=CENTER><TD>
<input 	type=hidden name=tried    value='yes' />
<input 	type=submit name=k         value="Submit (or Resubmit)" /> ...or, in case of typing error...
<input 	type=reset /> ... to re-enter your data. </TD></TR>
</TABLE>
    </FORM>	
</BODY>

</HTML>

At a loss on this one. Any suggestions appreciated.

u-sit

Weedpacket

Like the error message says: “ isn't valid; it should be ".

And when you post code, please use the markup tags described in the FAQ; not only do they make it easier for humans to read it, it can also reveal syntax errors.

u-sit

Thanks Weedpacket, I never would have seen the different forms of double quotes. Must have picked them up using cut&paste too glibly. Got that fixed. Now down to line 12.
The next error, which I've encountered several times, complains of short tabs. Had to look them up on the web. Seems they are characterized by having '>' instead of '/>' as closers. This is a surprise to me. I've been using /> for years (the only thing in my HTML reference). The subject script is full of them. So one by one I'm removing them and finding yet another error in the same line. Line 12 is an example. Here's the last error after shortening the short tab ending...

Line 12, Column 22: an attribute value literal can occur in an attribute specification list only after a VI delimiter

<form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" …

Validitor has highlighted the 'a' in action. Here's the full line...

<form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" >

Think this came from an example PayPal script. Don't fully understand it though. Form data are supposed to contain 2 attributes (3rd re. encoding is optional). So I deleted target parameter, which is associated w/ frames (not in use in this script) and got this error...

Line 12, Column 23: NET-enabling start-tag requires SHORTTAG YES

<form  action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr"  method="post" >&#8230;

Now I need to declare a shorttag=yes? Where? Why? The sequence <FOO /> can be interpreted in at least two different ways, depending on the DOCTYPE of the document. For HTML 4.01 Strict, the '/' terminates the tag <FOO (with an implied '>'). However, since many browsers don't interpret it this way, even in the presence of an HTML 4.01 Strict DOCTYPE, it is best to avoid it completely in pure HTML documents and reserve its use solely for those written in XHTML. Validator had already decided a few lines ago that shorttags are in use didn't it? Validator's explanation is ...

The sequence <FOO /> can be interpreted in at least two different ways, depending on the DOCTYPE of the document. For HTML 4.01 Strict, the '/' terminates the tag <FOO (with an implied '>'). However, since many browsers don't interpret it this way, even in the presence of an HTML 4.01 Strict DOCTYPE, it is best to avoid it completely in pure HTML documents and reserve its use solely for those written in XHTML.

Why is it thinking 'strict' when 'translational' is stated in !DOCTYPE?

This is just one of 27 errors to go!
Any suggestions?

u-sit

Pls scratch the last email, it's too long and misses the main question, which is:
Validator's explanation of the error...

Line 12, Column 23: NET-enabling start-tag requires SHORTTAG YES

<form  action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr"  method="post" >&#8230;

points to the first '/' in action's url. Validator says:

'For HTML 4.01 Strict, the '/' terminates the tag <FOO (with an implied '>').'

But my script has already been declared 'HTML 4.01 Transitional' in the !DOCTYPE header. So what's validator want? I go from confused to confused^2!

Any suggestions greatly appreiated (into the 2nd week on this one).

u-sit

Pls scratch the last email, it's too long and misses the main question, which is:
Validator's explanation of the error...

    Line 12, Column 23: NET-enabling start-tag requires SHORTTAG YES

<form  action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr"  method="post" >&#8230;

points to the first '/' in action's url. Validator says:

'For HTML 4.01 Strict, the '/' terminates the tag <FOO (with an implied '>').'

But my script has already been declared 'HTML 4.01 Transitional' in the !DOCTYPE header. So what's validator want? I go from confused to confused^2!

Any suggestions greatly appreiated (into the 2nd week on this one).

u-sit

Question on 'valid html'. From what I'm reading on the web re. html, and re. the many errors I'm getting from validator, perhaps I'm working from a depricated text. My reference is "HTML, The Definitive Guide, 3rd Ed., C. Musciano and B. Kennedy, 1996.
The reason I ask is the above email shows the validator balked on line 12:

In chasing this error I find in HTML The Definitive Guide this example of <form...

Is this example now incorrect because the slashes have not been quoted?

Is there a recommended web source for valid html definitions (not validators)?

I've been looking at source code of some websites, but this is of questionable value. Granted they display well, but you don't know if the code passed an html validator. My original script, shown in the first email above displays perfectly execpt for the missing 'deg'.

Thnx for any help
usit

Weedpacket

1996 isn't really that much out of date, really. HTML4.01 is still the current standard version, which dates from 1999. The definitive reference is http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/

The '/' at the end of empty tags is if you're writing XHTML (HTML distorted to meet XML standards).

u-sit wrote:
My original script, shown in the first email above displays perfectly execpt for the missing 'deg'.

I think what we need to see is your code that takes the posted form to you (with the degree and occupation fields) and and how you send that to paypal. I'm guessing paypal sees "&deg" and assumes that the semicolon has been left off of the character entity for °. I can guess why, but I need to check.

u-sit

Finally got Validator 'pass' last night. After a couple of tests of other issues, can't get back there.

Here's the html sections of the main RGSTRTN.php script. The 797 line form-layout script has only the last table given here. That's the table where 'degree' becomes 'ree'. The final character string sent to PayPal is given at the end of the following script.

<!--    htmlHEADERSforRGSTRTNa.doc -->
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"  >
<!-- References for DOCTYPE: http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/doctype.html -->
<!--  Passed html validator        www. http://validator.w3.org/check  --> 
<HTML>
  <HEAD>
   <META http-equiv="charset" content="ISO-8859-1"
<TITLE> 
 		RGSTRTN_07_7a.php Send Registration data to DB. Includes mailing of freebies @ Jan 2011 US Postal rates.
    	</TITLE>
     </HEAD>
  <BODY>

<!--                            (1) Form table-layout script for customer’s data input (section (2) below)                                           --> 
	<!--                                 Last 23 lines of 797. Contains the three  multiple selection boxes                                                    -->
<TABLE border=0 cellspacing=2 cellpadding=2 cols=3 width="60%" align=center>
<CAPTION align=top>  <br>Select one each of Occupation, Highest Degreee, and Specialization </CAPTION>
  <tr> <td colspan=2 rowspan=3> </td>
       <th colspan=1 align=center>Occupation</th>
                          <th>Highest Degree</th>
                          <th>Specialization</th> 
  </tr>
  <tr align=center>  

     <td><SELECT name=occupation size=10 multiple>
         <OPTION>Consultant <OPTION>Engineer <OPTION>Instructor <OPTION>Manager     <OPTION>Retiree 
	 <OPTION>Scientist  <OPTION>Student  <OPTION>Teacher    <OPTION>Technician  <OPTION>other
         </SELECT></td>

 <td><SELECT name=degree size=6 multiple>
 <OPTION>High School <OPTION>AS <OPTION>BS <OPTION>MS <OPTION>M.D. <OPTION>Ph.D. <OPTION>other
 </SELECT></td>

 <td><SELECT name=specialty size= 9 multiple>
 <OPTION>Biology  <OPTION>Chemistry  <OPTION>Computer <OPTION>Engineering <OPTION>Management 
 <OPTION>Medicine <OPTION>Psychology <OPTION>Physics  <OPTION>other
     </SELECT></td>
  </tr>
</TABLE>


<!--                                      (2) Form presented to customer                                                                           -->
	<form target="paypal" action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr"  method="post" >				 
	<input type=hidden name=cmd 		value="_xclick"		>
	<input type=hidden name=business 		value="example@example.com"	>

<input type=hidden name=notify_url		value="http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/HTMLpages/paypl_ntllck_loop3.php">	<input type=hidden name=payer_id		value='TESTBUYERIDO2'>									<input type=hidden name=return 		value="http://www.u-sit.net/auxlib/web07/InclReq/THNX.php">

<input type=hidden name=item_name 	value='Book'				>
<input type=hidden name=mc_gross 		value=''				> 
<input type=hidden name=mc_fee		value=''				>

<input type=hidden name=amount 		value="<? echo $amount    ?>"	>
<input type=hidden name=invoice 		value="<? echo $invoiceNo ?>"	>
<input type=hidden name=rm 		value='2'				>

<input type=hidden name=charset 		value='utf-8'				>
<input type=hidden name=no_shipping 	value='1'				>
<input type=hidden name=country		value="<? echo $country   ?>" 	>
<input type=hidden name=tax 		value="0.00"				>

<input type=hidden name=first_name	value="<? echo $first_name ?>" 	>	
<input type=hidden name=last_name		value="<? echo $last_name  ?>"        >	
<input type=hidden name=email		value="<? echo $email      ?>" 	>	

<input type=hidden name=s_h		value="$s_h" 	   			>
<input type="image"  src="http://images.paypal.com/images/x-click-but01.gif"
	   name="submit" alt="Make payments with PayPal - it? fast, free and secure!"	>
</form>

<!-- -                                        (3) PHP_SELF submission, returning to beginning of RGSTRTN.php                            -->
<FORM ACTION="<?php ECHO $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" METHOD="POST"> 
<TABLE 	WIDTH='100%' align=CENTER>
<TR 	align=CENTER><TD>
<input 	type=hidden name=tried    value='yes' >
<input 	type=submit name=k         value="Submit (or Resubmit)" > ...or, in case of typing error...
<input 	type=reset > ... to re-enter your data. </TD></TR>
</TABLE>
        </FORM>	

</BODY>
</HTML>

<!-- 		An example string sent to PayPal
string(283) "cmd=_notify-validate&USIT_ovr_En=TRUE&first_name=bobb&last_name=Acts&address1=123+elm&city=open+city&address2=&state=AL&country=US&zip=32311&email=bobbuy_1318181773_per%40u-
sit.net&affiliation=retired&occupation=other°ree=Ph.D.&specialty=other&tried=yes&k=Submit+%28or+Resubmit%29"
                                           ^^^
              Note missing ‘deg’ in front of ‘ree’.  All other key/value pairs appear OK.
-->

Thanks for your patience Weedpacket

u-sit

bradgrafelman

The 'deg' is not missing - you just aren't looking at it correctly.

I'm guessing you're viewing the above output from inside a web browser, right? In other words, you aren't looking at the output from the PHP code, you're looking at that output as rendered as HTML by your browser. In HTML, "&deg" is used to represent the degree symbol, °.

View the raw data sent back before it was mangled by your browser to confirm.

Weedpacket

Please use the forum's markup tags to make your code legible; we're not computers and it's already messy enough to be hard to read.

u-sit

I apologize for forgetting the markup tags. Yes it is messy. Its been through too many tests and modifications over the years -- and still being modified.
u-sit

u-sit

Your were correct bradgrafelman, as the following code demonstrates:

echo "L.145, &\deg\ w/o the two '\'s prints as °";

 L.145, &\deg\ w/o the two '\'s prints as °

This resolves the 'hidden characters' issue so I will terminate this topic.

Meanwhile I discovered that the three variables (Occupation, Highest Degree, and Specialization) were not even included in the name/value string being sent to PayPal. Hence the '&degree;' concern does not affect PayPal's return of "Invalid" for the registration string it receives.

I will probably open another discussion once I can identify why the strings are Invalid.

Thanks to all for your considerable patience and you helpful insights.
u-sit

Weedpacket

u-sit wrote:
Meanwhile I discovered that the three variables (Occupation, Highest Degree, and Specialization) were not even included in the name/value string being sent to PayPal.

It's because those fields aren't part of the form being submitted. Tidying up the HTML source would help with seeing this.

u-sit

Thanks again Weedpacket.
Can you point to a good example of neat html code? I do my writing/editing in notepad++. My references give snippets of code.

Also, I'm wrestling with var_dump & var_export trying to find a way to insert one or the other in a form whose action is to POST the form contents to PayPal. I'm trying to insert it toward the enc but before submission of the form button. I want to trap the exact version of these data that PayPal receives.
Any suggestions?

Any ideas appreciated,
u-sit