TalkPHP - Prototype and URL encodeded strings

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but i think the root of the problem lies in the JS part.

I will try to explain in the easiest way my problem.

First, i´m using the latest Prototype JS framework (1.6.0.2).
I´m having no problem getting it to work except for the darn URL encode bit.

And just to avoid any confusion about 'Kat' in the code.
I´m using that word because in swedish 'Cathegorys' would be 'Kateogorier'.

Now my very simple JS code to accomplish a AJAX GET call is:

Code:

function MyLinkKat(MyUrl, MyKat)

{



var MyUrl;

var MyKat; //This is were my cathegory comes



        new Ajax.Request(MyUrl, {

          contentType: 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',

          encoding: 'UTF-8',

          method: 'get',

          parameters: '?kat=' + MyKat + '',

          onCreate: function(transport)

          { 

                  var MyStatusText = $('MyStatusDiv');

                  new Ajax.Updater(MyStatusText, 'ajax_loader.php');

          },

          onSuccess: function(transport)

          { 

                  var MyResponseText = $('MyResponseDiv');

                  MyResponseText.update(transport.responseText);

          },

          onComplete: function(transport)

          { 

                  var MyStatusText = $('MyStatusDiv');

                  MyStatusText.update('');

          }

        });

}

I´m thinking something goes wrong at the 'parameters' option in the Ajax.Request.
What do you think ?

I´m calling this code like this:

Code:

<A HREF="javascript:MyLinkKat('ajax_links.php', 'Bloggs & Misc')">Bloggs & Misc</A>

Now my problem seems to be that this string 'Bloggs & Misc' don´t seem to be URL encoded when transported throug the JavaScript and when it reaches the 'ajax.php' script nothing matches cause i only get 'Bloggs' left.

Now i thought to myself, this is easy to fix. So i tryed this aproach:

Code:

<A HREF="javascript:MyLinkKat('ajax_links.php', '<?PHP echo(urlencode("Bloggs & Misc")); ?>')">Bloggs & Misc</A>

But that didn´t work either.

For the sake of argument let´s say that the following code is in the receiving script:

PHP Code:


		
			
<?PHP

$sql = "SELECT * from blogg_links WHERE kategori='" . utf8_decode($_GET['kat']) . "'";

?>

Should i try using urlencode() inside the utf8_decode() function on the $_GET['kat'] variable ?

Do you have any suggestions or ideas to what i could change to make this work, or do you want any other information to help me resolve this mather don´t hesitate to ask.

It might be a simple solution that i haven't thought about in my frustration.

Hope you get what i´m getting at.

It´s kinda late and think i´m gonna give this a break for tonight.

Cheers :)

-----------------------------------------
Update:

Well i had some sleep and came up with this temporary solution that works for me. Im using the following PHP functions that i came up with to do some "Ajax Encoding" and "Ajax Decoding" as i like to call it. Wich means i simply replace some chars like 'spaces' and '&' signs with other safe chars that wont 'get lost' in the transport. i made a Encode and Decode function.

Here it is:

PHP Code:


		
			
<?PHP

function ajaxEncode($string)

{

    $target_array[] = ' ';

    $target_array[] = '&';



    $replace_array[] = '_';

    $replace_array[] = 'och';



    $string = str_replace($target_array, $replace_array, $string);

    return $string;

}

function ajaxDecode($string)

{

    $target_array[] = '_';

    $target_array[] = 'och';



    $replace_array[] = ' ';

    $replace_array[] = '&';



    $string = str_replace($target_array, $replace_array, $string);

    return $string;

}

?>

But i would still like to get some explaination if there is one to why my orignial problem existed if someone has an answer?

Cheers again :)