php - Why doesn't this use of html_decode_entities work? -

this code adapted php manual entry on html_entity_decode()

protected function decode($data) {     $data = html_entity_decode($data, ent_quotes,'utf-8');     //echo $data;     return $data; } protected function decode_data($data) {      if(is_object($data) || is_array($data)){         array_walk_recursive($data,array($this,'decode'));     }else{         $data = html_entity_decode($data, ent_quotes,'utf-8');     }     return $data; } 

if data contains value children's not decoded children's

the problem has nothing html_entity_decode, you're doing right if want decode quote entities, '.

instead problem weren't using array_walk_recursive correctly. in following used anonymous function , pass value reference:

function decode_data($data) {     if(is_object($data) || is_array($data)){         // &$val, not $val, otherwise array value wouldn't update.         array_walk_recursive($data, function(&$val, $index) {             $val = html_entity_decode($val, ent_quotes,'utf-8');         });     }else{         $data = html_entity_decode($data, ent_quotes,'utf-8');     }     return $data; } $array = [      "children's",      "children's", ]; print_r( decode_data($array) ); 

outputs both children's single quote character , not entity.