String value modified on replace

Hello: I have a string variable with the following value $httppath = "http://www.mysite.org"; This variable is stored in an include file. When I use this variable in another document, where the setting file is included, the value of the above variable is getting replaced with: http:/! /www.mysite.org/ There is an exclamation mark and a line break inserted between the 2 forward slashes. Could anybody help me to figure out this problem. Sheni R Meledath sheni@cyber-gear.com