On-demand process query works only on some columns

Question

I've run into what seems a strange problem. I have an on-demand process that queries the DB and returns a populated select list, which I've successfully used in several places. The query used returns values as it should when I query the DB directly. Within my process however, it returns no rows. I know the process works because if I replace the query that i need, with one on another column in same table, my select list populates. There are several other columns that also don't work, though there is no pattern in terms of data type, size, etc, that I can see, except that the non-working columns are rather far down a list of over 30 columns for that table.
Here is the process text:
begin
owa_util.mime_header('text/xml', FALSE );
htp.p('Cache-Control: no-cache');
htp.p('Pragma: no-cache');
owa_util.http_header_close;
htp.prn('<select>');
for rec in (select distinct op_comm d, op_comm r from CPUJAN2006
where upper(stream) = upper(:P100_TEMP_STREAM))
loop
htp.prn('<option value="' || rec.r || '">' || rec.d || '</option>');
end loop;
htp.prn('</select>');
end;
As mentioned, I can use this select statement directly on the DB and I can replace it in the process, with something like "select db_version from CPUJAN2006" and that works. Any ideas why this would not work on certain columns - could it have anything to do with number of columns in the table or column size?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks,
Michelle

Answer 1

I can and will if this doensn't clarify. I've narrowed down problem to specific records returned from the process query.
The text entries populating the select list sometimes contain the char '&'. When I get rid of these, my select lists look fine. The select list is populated with following bit:
htp.prn('<option value="' || rec.d || '">' || rec.r || '</option>');
I am thinking the & in some rec.d entries is interpreted as something other than text. I cannot change these text values in the DB, because they are fed from another DB. Can I somehow tell the process to view speacial characters as text?