Shortcode $content different than declared string var with same text.

okay, I’m running into a weird problem. I’m using preg_match_all to decode some shortcode input into pairs of values and numbers. I tried posting the question over a stack overflow and they were only interested in blasting my regex pattern.

Here is my test function:

function WTF($atts, $content) {
	$pattern = '%([\w&\s]+)[:,\|\/]{1}(\d+)([\|,\|\/]{0,1})%';
	$contentX = 'Sex:3,Drugs,4,Violence:1,Rock & Roll,5';

	preg_match_all($pattern, $content, $xmatch, PREG_SET_ORDER);
	preg_match_all($pattern, $contentX, $ymatch, PREG_SET_ORDER);

	var_dump($content);
	var_dump($contentX);

	$ret = '<pre>' . print_r($xmatch, TRUE);
	$ret .= "\n" . print_r($ymatch, TRUE);
	if ($content === $contentX) {
		$ret .= "\n" . 'Match!';
	} else {
		$ret .= "\nNo Match!";
	}
	$ret .= '</pre>';

	return $ret;
}

The problem is simple: the $content var should have the same text as the $contentX var in the function. I literally cut and pasted the same text into my test post.

However, when the preg_match_all function returns the results from $content, the last string is just “Roll”

For $contentX var, it returns “Rock & Roll.” Same text, same pattern. Different results.

the if statement indicates that $content !== $contentX

The var_dump for $content is: string(43) "Sex:3,Drugs,4,Violence:1,Rock & Roll,5"
The var_dump for $contentX is string(38) "Sex:3,Drugs,4,Violence:1,Rock & Roll,5"

$content is 5 characters longer, but there no visible difference.

Thoughts?