Storing XML in MySQL with SimpleXML:problem?

[pras2309]

I have an XML which stores the contents of a page, further the XML is to be stored in the database. The content can be html, text with special characters,etc.
I have a form to take the value from the user. If the user gives some special characters to in the txtmatter, I want to encode them, and at the time of fetching I want to decode them.

I have successfully encoded the value of special characters of <txtmatter> with the use of htmlspecialchars() but it is not storing in the xml in encoded form.

Also, can I use the XPATH query of MYSQL to update the XML?.


XML Generated:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<contents>
<page_title>Page</page_title>
<section_heading>Section Heading</section_heading>
<heading>Heading</heading>
<subheading>Sub Heading</subheading>
<txtmatter>blah blah blah " " " " " " ` ` ` `' ' ' 'blah blah '</txtmatter>
</contents>
And want like this to store in the database.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<contents>
<page_title>Page</page_title>
<section_heading>Section Heading</section_heading>
<heading>Heading</heading>
<subheading>Sub Heading</subheading>
<txtmatter>blah blah blah &quot; &quot; &quot; &quot; &quot; &quot; ` ` ` `' ' ' 'blah blah </txtmatter>
</contents>



Best Regards

Prashant