How to print an HTML code from a variable in PHP? - php

Question

I am developing a PHP site, and have encountered the following problem.
I have this line of code:
<div id="buynow"><?php echo $buynow; ?></div>
The variable $buynow has an html code (a paypal buy now button), and I would like to print/echo the html code that it gets processed.
With the current code, it prints the html code itself, not the desired result.
Thanks in advance
String:
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="XXXXXXXXXXXX">
<table>
<tr><td><input type="hidden" name="on0" value="Colors">Colors</td></tr><tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Black">Black </option>
<option value="White">White </option>
</select> </td></tr>
</table>
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynowCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!">
<img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1">
</form>
Note: The value is replaced to XXXXXXXXX on purpose, in the code it is the original.

Answer 1

maybe try this:
<div id="buynow"><?php echo htmlspecialchars_decode($buynow); ?></div>
or use
<div id="buynow"><?php echo html_entity_decode($buynow); ?></div>

Answer 2

The method I use on simple Paypal button sites is to save the button code as little php files on their own (can just be the html making up the Paypal button). Then "include" the external file at the relevant point. It makes managing the buttons relatively easy without changing your source code.
Other than that, it seems that your page may not actually be a php page.