PHP SimpleXML and escaped strings

Question

I have a script pulls some data out of a database and then sends it in xml format using SimpleXML. Clients that use the service load the xml using file_get_contents(url-to-script) and then use SimpleXML to find the relevant data and display it on a webpage.

The problem I am having is that the output on the webpage is always escaped. It doesn't matter how many times I run the strings I am getting back through stripslashes, it is still escaped.

Any ideas how to strip the slashes?

EDIT:

The data is put into the database through a 3rd party application, we never enter it programmatically. However, we extract from it in a number of other applications and it is not escaped.

We are not using addslashes on the data anywhere.

magic_quotes_gpc is on, all the other magic_quotes options are off

Answer 1

Please try and answer the below questions and update your question, it will help figure out where your problem is

• How is the data being input into the database?
• Are you using addslashes on it?
• Is magic_quotes turned on on your server?
• Do you have an example of the xml data Before entry into the database and when it comes out?
• Can you post some of your code of where the xml data is entered into the database?

This is necessary information to help you without blindly guessing.