4.2.2 doesn't have mysql_real_esacpe_string()

Hola, PHP folk! I am learning about PHP from a book (MySQL/PHP Database Applications). I have been following the examples in the book, modifying them to suit my purpose and experiment, etc. I am using an old work machine my webserver. I did a Redhat 9 install, adding MySQL version 4. The 'stock' Redhat installation of PHP was version 4.2.2. Having this older version had presented no problems until now. The example I am currently working on uses a function mysql_real_escape_string(), which is only in php 4.3.0 and higher. An example of the how the function is used: [code] $query = sprintf($query , mysql_real_escape_string($name) , mysql_real_escape_string($location) , mysql_real_escape_string($email) , mysql_real_escape_string($url) , mysql_real_escape_string($comments) , mysql_real_escape_string($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']) ); safe_mysql_query($query); [/code] I am looking for recommendations on what I should do. I can upgrade to the latest version of PHP if need be, though I am not particulary eager to do so, since everything else has been playing nice with each other. The lazy person inside of me is looking for a painless answer, something along the lines of "just use mysql_foo() instead, it does the same thing as that function that isn't in 4.2.2" Thanks, Danny