How to escape an ampersand in an CSS attribute selector?

Question

I'm trying to build a CSS selector that specifically distinguishes between elements that have a background image given as data URI:

<div style="background-image: url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;base64,PD94b…9zdmc+&quot;);">

And elements that have a background image provided as internet URL:

<div style="background-image: url(&quot;https://my.example.com.png&quot;);">

To select data URL images only, I built this selector (escaped special characters):

.card-img[style*='background-image\: url\(\&quot\;data\:image'] {
    display: none;
}

But unfortunately, it doesn't work:escaping the first open bracket worked, but I got stuck by escaping the ampersand.

EDIT: Since the HTML is rendered by a CMS and isn't alterable, a correct answer has to deal with the CSS!

span {
  background: yellow
}

.card-img {
  height: 120px;
  width: calc(100% - 4rem);
  display: block;
  margin: 2rem;
}

.card-img[style*='background-image\: url\(\&quot\;data\:image'] {
  display: none;
}

<div class="card-img" style="background-image: url(&quot;https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Pyramide_von_Athribis.jpg&quot;);">
  <span>Image with Internet URL</span>
</div>

<div class="card-img" style="background-image: url(&quot;data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABgAAAAYCAMAAADXqc3KAAAB+FBMVEUAAAA/mUPidDHiLi5Cn0XkNTPmeUrkdUg/m0Q0pEfcpSbwaVdKskg+lUP4zA/iLi3msSHkOjVAmETdJSjtYFE/lkPnRj3sWUs8kkLeqCVIq0fxvhXqUkbVmSjwa1n1yBLepyX1xxP0xRXqUkboST9KukpHpUbuvRrzrhF/ljbwaljuZFM4jELaoSdLtElJrUj1xxP6zwzfqSU4i0HYnydMtUlIqUfywxb60AxZqEXaoifgMCXptR9MtklHpEY2iUHWnSjvvRr70QujkC+pUC/90glMuEnlOjVMt0j70QriLS1LtEnnRj3qUUXfIidOjsxAhcZFo0bjNDH0xxNLr0dIrUdmntVTkMoyfL8jcLBRuErhJyrgKyb4zA/5zg3tYFBBmUTmQTnhMinruBzvvhnxwxZ/st+Ktt5zp9hqota2vtK6y9FemNBblc9HiMiTtMbFtsM6gcPV2r6dwroseLrMrbQrdLGdyKoobKbo3Zh+ynrgVllZulTsXE3rV0pIqUf42UVUo0JyjEHoS0HmsiHRGR/lmRz/1hjqnxjvpRWfwtOhusaz0LRGf7FEfbDVmqHXlJeW0pbXq5bec3fX0nTnzmuJuWvhoFFhm0FtrziBsjaAaDCYWC+uSi6jQS3FsSfLJiTirCOkuCG1KiG+wSC+GBvgyhTszQ64Z77KAAAARXRSTlMAIQRDLyUgCwsE6ebm5ubg2dLR0byXl4FDQzU1NDEuLSUgC+vr6urq6ubb29vb2tra2tG8vLu7u7uXl5eXgYGBgYGBLiUALabIAAABsElEQVQoz12S9VPjQBxHt8VaOA6HE+AOzv1wd7pJk5I2adpCC7RUcHd3d3fXf5PvLkxheD++z+yb7GSRlwD/+Hj/APQCZWxM5M+goF+RMbHK594v+tPoiN1uHxkt+xzt9+R9wnRTZZQpXQ0T5uP1IQxToyOAZiQu5HEpjeA4SWIoksRxNiGC1tRZJ4LNxgHgnU5nJZBDvuDdl8lzQRBsQ+s9PZt7s7Pz8wsL39/DkIfZ4xlB2Gqsq62ta9oxVlVrNZpihFRpGO9fzQw1ms0NDWZz07iGkJmIFH8xxkc3a/WWlubmFkv9AB2SEpDvKxbjidN2faseaNV3zoHXvv7wMODJdkOHAegweAfFPx4G67KluxzottCU9n8CUqXzcIQdXOytAHqXxomvykhEKN9EFutG22p//0rbNvHVxiJywa8yS2KDfV1dfbu31H8jF1RHiTKtWYeHxUvq3bn0pyjCRaiRU6aDO+gb3aEfEeVNsDgm8zzLy9egPa7Qt8TSJdwhjplk06HH43ZNJ3s91KKCHQ5x4sw1fRGYDZ0n1L4FKb9/BP5JLYxToheoFCVxz57PPS8UhhEpLBVeAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC&quot;);">
  <span>Image with Data URL</span>
</div>

Could you just look for data:image

A Haworth
– A Haworth

2023-02-13 22:15:19 +00:00
Commented Feb 13, 2023 at 22:15 — A Haworth
– A Haworth, Commented Feb 13, 2023 at 22:15

Zach Jensz · Accepted Answer · 2023-02-13 20:59:10Z

If you can change the HTML, replace the " with actual quotes, as you can use double combined with single for this sort of stuff:

span {
  background-color: yellow
}

.card-img {
  height: 120px;
  width: calc(100% - 4rem);
  display: block;
  margin: 2rem;
}

.card-img[style*='background-image\: url\(\'data\:image'] span {
  background-color: cyan;
}

<div class="card-img" style="background-image: url('https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Pyramide_von_Athribis.jpg');">
  <span>Image with Internet URL</span>
</div>

<div class="card-img" style="background-image: url('data:image/png;base64,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');">
  <span>Image with Data URL</span>
</div>

If HTML cannot be changed, one workaround could be to split your attribute selector into two:

span {
  background-color: yellow
}

.card-img {
  height: 120px;
  width: calc(100% - 4rem);
  display: block;
  margin: 2rem;
}

.card-img[style*="background-image"][style*="data\:image"] span {
  background-color: cyan;
}

<div class="card-img" style="background-image: url(&quot;https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Pyramide_von_Athribis.jpg&quot;);">
  <span>Image with Internet URL</span>
</div>

<div class="card-img" style="background-image: url(&quot;data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABgAAAAYCAMAAADXqc3KAAAB+FBMVEUAAAA/mUPidDHiLi5Cn0XkNTPmeUrkdUg/m0Q0pEfcpSbwaVdKskg+lUP4zA/iLi3msSHkOjVAmETdJSjtYFE/lkPnRj3sWUs8kkLeqCVIq0fxvhXqUkbVmSjwa1n1yBLepyX1xxP0xRXqUkboST9KukpHpUbuvRrzrhF/ljbwaljuZFM4jELaoSdLtElJrUj1xxP6zwzfqSU4i0HYnydMtUlIqUfywxb60AxZqEXaoifgMCXptR9MtklHpEY2iUHWnSjvvRr70QujkC+pUC/90glMuEnlOjVMt0j70QriLS1LtEnnRj3qUUXfIidOjsxAhcZFo0bjNDH0xxNLr0dIrUdmntVTkMoyfL8jcLBRuErhJyrgKyb4zA/5zg3tYFBBmUTmQTnhMinruBzvvhnxwxZ/st+Ktt5zp9hqota2vtK6y9FemNBblc9HiMiTtMbFtsM6gcPV2r6dwroseLrMrbQrdLGdyKoobKbo3Zh+ynrgVllZulTsXE3rV0pIqUf42UVUo0JyjEHoS0HmsiHRGR/lmRz/1hjqnxjvpRWfwtOhusaz0LRGf7FEfbDVmqHXlJeW0pbXq5bec3fX0nTnzmuJuWvhoFFhm0FtrziBsjaAaDCYWC+uSi6jQS3FsSfLJiTirCOkuCG1KiG+wSC+GBvgyhTszQ64Z77KAAAARXRSTlMAIQRDLyUgCwsE6ebm5ubg2dLR0byXl4FDQzU1NDEuLSUgC+vr6urq6ubb29vb2tra2tG8vLu7u7uXl5eXgYGBgYGBLiUALabIAAABsElEQVQoz12S9VPjQBxHt8VaOA6HE+AOzv1wd7pJk5I2adpCC7RUcHd3d3fXf5PvLkxheD++z+yb7GSRlwD/+Hj/APQCZWxM5M+goF+RMbHK594v+tPoiN1uHxkt+xzt9+R9wnRTZZQpXQ0T5uP1IQxToyOAZiQu5HEpjeA4SWIoksRxNiGC1tRZJ4LNxgHgnU5nJZBDvuDdl8lzQRBsQ+s9PZt7s7Pz8wsL39/DkIfZ4xlB2Gqsq62ta9oxVlVrNZpihFRpGO9fzQw1ms0NDWZz07iGkJmIFH8xxkc3a/WWlubmFkv9AB2SEpDvKxbjidN2faseaNV3zoHXvv7wMODJdkOHAegweAfFPx4G67KluxzottCU9n8CUqXzcIQdXOytAHqXxomvykhEKN9EFutG22p//0rbNvHVxiJywa8yS2KDfV1dfbu31H8jF1RHiTKtWYeHxUvq3bn0pyjCRaiRU6aDO+gb3aEfEeVNsDgm8zzLy9egPa7Qt8TSJdwhjplk06HH43ZNJ3s91KKCHQ5x4sw1fRGYDZ0n1L4FKb9/BP5JLYxToheoFCVxz57PPS8UhhEpLBVeAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC&quot;);">
  <span>Image with Data URL</span>
</div>

I should have mentioned that the HTML structure is generated by a CMS and therefore isn't alterable — the CSS has to be changed!

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