backslashes stripped from product description?

[scatzc]

Does this happen with the standard text box for the description, or are you using the html editor text box?

Standard text box for the description.

In fact, as I was trying to type my workaround here (using HTML escape characters as one might find at theukwebdesigncompany.com/articles/entity-escape-characters.php) I found that the vBulletin input box here exhibits the same exact problem.

I am now convinced that this is a PHP "feature", not a Zen-Cart specific issue.

[scatzc]

I think that I discovered where this problem comes from. In includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_product_free_shipping_info_display.php (line 80) the product description is echoed through a stripslashes() filter:

 <!--bof Product description -->
<?php if ($products_description != '') { ?>
<div id="productDescription" class="freeShip biggerText"><?php echo stripslashes($products_description); ?></div>
<?php } ?>
<!--eof Product description -->

I am sure that this stripslashes() filter was placed there for a good reason. Can you shed some light on this?

[niccol]

It got me curious why you were seeing a different effect from me so I had a look. This quote from the php manual may be the reason:

Note: If magic_quotes_sybase is on, no backslashes are stripped off but two apostrophes are replaced by one instead.

[scatzc]

I think that I discovered where this problem comes from. In includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_product_free_shipping_info_display.php (line 80) the product description is echoed through a stripslashes() filter:

 <!--bof Product description -->
<?php if ($products_description != '') { ?>
<div id="productDescription" class="freeShip biggerText"><?php echo stripslashes($products_description); ?></div>
<?php } ?>
<!--eof Product description -->

I am sure that this stripslashes() filter was placed there for a good reason. Can you shed some light on this?

This "feature" is driving me nuts. Before hacking the PHP code to get rid of this, I would appreciate an explanation of the design consideration that led to placing stripslashes() there. I am assuming, of course, that it is not a bug but rather a thoughtful feature.

Thanks.

[scatzc]

Note: If magic_quotes_sybase is on, no backslashes are stripped off but two apostrophes are replaced by one instead.

Update: I managed to workaround the problem (I am leery about hacking stable code that has been running for years, without fully understanding design considerations):

I have been able to output a single backslash on the product description page by entering in the source HTML 8 consecutive bacslashes (eight!).

For two adjacent backslashes I had to enter 16 consecutive bacslashes...

Pretty amazing.