### Author:  [@mnz](https://discourse.gohugo.io/u/mnz)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/semicolon-in-shortcode-parameter/19910/1 "2019-07-30T17:57:24Z")
Hello,
I hope this isn’t too simple a question. When trying to make a shortcode in hugo, I’ve discovered a strange behaviour with a semicolon in parameter values.
Specifically, I’m trying to allow some custom css styling for a shortcode element.
Here is an example of what such a shortcode might look like:
{{ .Get “cell-style” }}
\
test
\
And how it would be used:
`{{< test cell-style="border:1px solid black" >}}`
This would render predictably, a div with a border.
But if I add a semicolon like this:
`{{< test cell-style="border:1px solid black;" >}}`
The first line would show as expected: border:1px solid black;
But the style in the div turns to gibberish: style=“ZgotmplZ”
What am I doing wrong here, and is this the entirely wrong thing to do?
(The semicolon would be needed for multiple styles)
---
### Author:  [@mnz](https://discourse.gohugo.io/u/mnz)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/semicolon-in-shortcode-parameter/19910/2 "2019-07-30T18:02:31Z")
Ah, found it 😐
Piping to safeCSS allows the semicolon
`
`
---
### Author:  [@davidsneighbour](https://discourse.gohugo.io/u/davidsneighbour)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2019, 5:59am UTC](https://discourse.gohugo.io/t/semicolon-in-shortcode-parameter/19910/3 "2019-07-31T05:59:43Z")
🙂 next time google the gibberish - that could help more often than you think. That’s a default (but weird) error code that exactly predicted your solution 🙂
>
There are many useful `safeSOMETHING` functions in Hugo.