html editor

OK, there is a conflict between the old iRite and new HTML Editor. When you use HTML Editor to add that function to a custom (as in, my own) text field, you need to do three things:
1. Delete this line near the top of the document:
<?php require_once("../HTMLEditor/WARichEditorPHP.php"); ?>

2. Change this line at the location of the custom text field:
$WARichTextEditor_2 = CreateRichTextEditor ("ProductLongDesc", "../HTMLEditor/", "750px", "600px", "Custom", "../custom/Products_Insert_ProductLongDesc1.js", "".(isset($_GET['valid'])?ValidatedField("ProductsUpdate","ProductLongDesc"):$row_WADAProducts['ProductLongDesc']) ."");
to this line: (Change HTMLEditor reference to WA_iRite reference)
$WARichTextEditor_2 = CreateRichTextEditor ("ProductLongDesc", "../WA_iRite/", "750px", "600px", "Custom", "../custom/Products_Insert_ProductLongDesc1.js", "".(isset($_GET['valid'])?ValidatedField("ProductsUpdate","ProductLongDesc"):$row_WADAProducts['ProductLongDesc']) ."");

3. Move the .js file that is generated in the HTMLEditor/custom/ directory to the WA_iRite/custom/ directory and upload.

This allowed for the editor to work on my new field.

Now, the 'sort-of' part that I need help with:
I had used WA_Products['mynewtable'] as an initial variable so that when my client enters data, it is retained in that field on an update. When I added the HTMLEditor/iRite function, that init var disappeared and I don't know how to get it back. I see where to put the variable call - but it's not updating any longer.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Pete