title: hidden variable in html
body: <p>I am working in Ruby Sinatra.  In Ruby, I create a nokogiri object (@xml) that the erb page has access to.  In the post, I need to have access to that same object, so I create a hidden variable like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>    &lt;input type="hidden" name="xml" value= '&lt;%= @xml %&gt;' &gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, in some cases, the page displays a bunch of text from the @xml object that I don't want displayed.  As a workaround, I moved it offscreen, like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;div style="position:absolute; left:5000px; top:200px;"&gt;
      &lt;input type="hidden" name="xml" value= '&lt;%= @xml %&gt;' &gt;
  &lt;/div&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>but there must be a better way.  Suggestions?  Thanks.</p>