htmlspecialchars_decode() PHP function alternative?

[CarlSunshine]

I am using the function "htmlspecialchars_decode()" to correctly display items in a database which have been submitted with special characters. When I call this function, I get the following error message "Fatal error: Call to undefined function: htmlspecialchars_decode() in /****/7/d228305703/htdocs/demo/newssidebar.php on line 20." Of course, the line and location of the error message varies. I need an alternative way to decode the special characters. I am pretty sure this is because of different versions of PHP. So, provide me with an alternative which does the same thing.

Thank you

[dvrman123]

That's because there is no htmlspecialchars_decode() function in PHP versions prior to PHP 5.

html_entity_decode() should provide similar results and is available in PHP 4.

http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.html-entity-decode.php