function form_prep($str = '')
{
	if ($str === '')
	{
		return '';
	}

	$temp = '__TEMP_AMPERSANDS__';
	
	// Replace entities to temporary markers so that 
	// htmlspecialchars won't mess them up
	$str = preg_replace("/&#(\d+);/", "$temp\\1;", $str);
	$str = preg_replace("/&(\w+);/",  "$temp\\1;", $str);

	$str = htmlspecialchars($str);

	// In case htmlspecialchars misses these.
	$str = str_replace(array("'", '"'), array("'", """), $str);	
	
	// Decode the temp markers back to entities
	$str = preg_replace("/$temp(\d+);/","&#\\1;",$str);
	$str = preg_replace("/$temp(\w+);/","&\\1;",$str);	
	
	return $str;	
}