can't pass complete URL (part of the query string) from one script to another --??

Gretings: I want to pass a URL query string to another php script. I am able to pass the complete query string with all the variables I want through to the javascript function call but then the string gets cut in the php script: in the shopping cart: <a href="javascript: openWin('email.php?ref=<?php echo $pageURL; ?>')">this page</a> where 'ref' is set correctly and $pageURL is returned as 'http://mydomain.com/shop.php?val1=1&val2=2&val3=3' (this shows up on my status bar and I can 'echo' it on the shopping cart page - so Iknow it is getting captured correctly -- also - I removed the javascript and saw it get passet in the url as a 'get' correctly.) but in the email script I try to display 'ref' and what I get is: 'http://mydomain.com/shop.php?val1=1' -- everything past the first '&' gets cut off (ie, I lose the '&val2=2&val3=3' portion of the query string ) Any ideas? Sorry if this is obvious - pulling an 'all nighter'... TIA, Nicole -- ######################## Nicole Lallande nicole@nmlconsulting.com 760.753.6766 ########################