Unhelpful code tidying?

I am trying to add some php to my form html code so that if you have already registered you don't have a drop down option.

The code I want is

<?php
    $db =& JFactory::getDBO();
    $query = "
      SELECT `cf_id`
        FROM `#__chronoforms_data_meets`
        WHERE `cf_user_id` = ".$user->id." and `meet_name` = 'Lakes Christmas Meet Dec 2011' ;
    ";
    $db->setQuery($query);
    $d = $db->loadResult();
    if ( $d ) {
      echo "<option value=\"Self\" selected>Self</option>";
    }
    ?>

But whenever I save the form the echo line goes to

echo "<option value="Self" selected>Self</option>";

Which, usurprisingly throws up a parse error😟
What is 'cleaning up' the \ and how do I stop it please?? :?

Hi olaeblue,

Please try

echo '<option value="Self" selected>Self</option>';

Bob

Thanks that worked but why won't \" work? Is it not valid syntax?

Hi olaeblue,

It's valid PHP I think; but because this code is being saved in the database, recovered then evaluated some valid PHP doesn't survive the multiple processing.

Bob