# Convert htmlspecial characters using ruby
**URL:** \
**Category:** ruby-talk\
**Created:** [11 July 2007 07:11 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/convert-htmlspecial-characters-using-ruby/38975 "2007-07-11T07:11:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1
**Author:**  [@geetha](https://rubytalk.org/u/geetha)\
**Post date:** [11 July 2007 07:11 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/convert-htmlspecial-characters-using-ruby/38975/1 "2007-07-11T07:11:19Z")
hi,
I have to decode the html special character using ruby,
if any function is there like php htmlspecialchars\_decode ().
thanks,
sangeetha.S
---
**Author:**  [@Hemant\_Kumar](https://rubytalk.org/u/Hemant_Kumar)\
**Post date:** [11 July 2007 09:06 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/convert-htmlspecial-characters-using-ruby/38975/2 "2007-07-11T09:06:14Z")
If you want to escape HTML special charcaters then i guess following would work:
CGI::escapeHTML('Usage: foo "bar" \')
# =\> "Usage: foo "bar" <baz>"
If thats not what you want, please look into documentation of CGI
class and i think you would find method that you are looking for.
> **···**
>
> On 7/11/07, geetha \ wrote:
>
> > hi,
> >
> > I have to decode the html special character using ruby,
> > if any function is there like php htmlspecialchars\_decode ().
> >
> > thanks,
> > sangeetha.S
---
**Author:**  [@Marcin\_Raczkowski1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Marcin_Raczkowski1)\
**Post date:** [11 July 2007 09:17 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/convert-htmlspecial-characters-using-ruby/38975/3 "2007-07-11T09:17:52Z")
also ERB::h might help ^^
> **···**
>
> On Wednesday 11 July 2007 09:06, hemant wrote:
>
> > On 7/11/07, geetha \ wrote:
> > \> hi,
> > \>
> > \> I have to decode the html special character using ruby,
> > \> if any function is there like php htmlspecialchars\_decode ().
> > \>
> > \>
> > \> thanks,
> > \> sangeetha.S
> >
> > If you want to escape HTML special charcaters then i guess following would
> > work:
> >
> > CGI::escapeHTML('Usage: foo "bar" \')
> > # =\> "Usage: foo "bar" <baz>"
> >
> > If thats not what you want, please look into documentation of CGI
> > class and i think you would find method that you are looking for.
>
> --
> Marcin Raczkowski
> ---
> Friends teach what you should know
> Enemies Teach what you have to know