How to fix odd value returned from select list populated by database

Question

Using PHP I'm populating a dropdown list with values taken from a MySQL database. The list displays fine, my problem comes when I try to retrieve the selected value. I'm defining a variable and passing it the dropdownlist name for the POST array:

$variable = $_POST['dropdownlist'];

but the contents of $variable are \\{value}"

Why is it putting in the \\{ and }", and how do I get rid of them to get a value I can actually use?

Answer 1

If you are getting curly brackets as part of the value then the chances are they are their in your HTML code. Your code is likely something like echo '{$value}'; rather than echo "{$value}"; or something similar.