diff --git a/admin/settings.php b/admin/settings.php
index fa554812c4c..12f94f56fec 100644
--- a/admin/settings.php
+++ b/admin/settings.php
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ if (empty($SITE->fullname)) {
 
     echo '<form action="settings.php" method="post" id="adminsettings">';
     echo '<div class="settingsform clearfix">';
-    echo $PAGE->url->hidden_params_out();
+    echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($PAGE->url);
     echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="'.sesskey().'" />';
     echo '<input type="hidden" name="return" value="'.$return.'" />';
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ if (empty($SITE->fullname)) {
 
     echo '<form action="settings.php" method="post" id="adminsettings">';
     echo '<div class="settingsform clearfix">';
-    echo $PAGE->url->hidden_params_out();
+    echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($PAGE->url);
     echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="'.sesskey().'" />';
     echo '<input type="hidden" name="return" value="'.$return.'" />';
     echo $OUTPUT->heading($settingspage->visiblename);
diff --git a/lib/formslib.php b/lib/formslib.php
index 4204eb2c32e..8c26ccd2a5d 100644
--- a/lib/formslib.php
+++ b/lib/formslib.php
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ class MoodleQuickForm extends HTML_QuickForm_DHTMLRulesTableless {
         $target = empty($target) ? array() : array('target' => $target);
         $this->_formName = $formName;
         if (is_a($action, 'moodle_url')){
-            $this->_pageparams = $action->hidden_params_out();
+            $this->_pageparams = html_writer::input_hidden_params($action);
             $action = $action->out(true);
         } else {
             $this->_pageparams = '';
diff --git a/lib/outputcomponents.php b/lib/outputcomponents.php
index ca2cd1f8681..2855396a087 100644
--- a/lib/outputcomponents.php
+++ b/lib/outputcomponents.php
@@ -515,6 +515,27 @@ class html_writer {
         }
         return self::tag('optgroup', $attributes, $output);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns hidden input fields created from url parameters.
+     * @param moodle_url $url
+     * @param array $exclude list of excluded parameters
+     * @return string HTML fragment
+     */
+    public static function input_hidden_params(moodle_url $url, array $exclude = null) {
+        $exclude = (array)$exclude;
+        $params = $url->params();
+        foreach ($exclude as $key) {
+            unset($params[$key]);
+        }
+
+        $output = '';
+        foreach ($params as $key => $val) {
+            $attributes = array('type'=>'hidden', 'name'=>$key, 'value'=>$value);
+            $output .= self::empty_tag('input', $attributes)."\n";
+        }
+        return $output;
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/portfoliolib.php b/lib/portfoliolib.php
index fa4065a4b77..784f28a75df 100644
--- a/lib/portfoliolib.php
+++ b/lib/portfoliolib.php
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ class portfolio_add_button {
         }
 
         $formoutput = '<form method="post" action="' . $CFG->wwwroot . '/portfolio/add.php" id="portfolio-add-button">' . "\n";
-        $formoutput .= $url->hidden_params_out();
+        $formoutput .= html_writer::input_hidden_params($url);
         $linkoutput = '<a href="' . $url->out();
 
         switch ($format) {
diff --git a/lib/weblib.php b/lib/weblib.php
index da2817751c4..521c6c5d5aa 100644
--- a/lib/weblib.php
+++ b/lib/weblib.php
@@ -486,30 +486,6 @@ class moodle_url {
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Outputs params as hidden form elements.
-     *
-     * @param array $exclude params to ignore
-     * @param integer $indent indentation
-     * @param array $overrideparams params to add to the output params, these
-     *      override existing ones with the same name.
-     * @return string html for form elements.
-     */
-    public function hidden_params_out(array $exclude = null, $indent = 0, array $overrideparams = null) {
-        $exclude = (array)$exclude;
-        $params = $this->merge_overrideparams($overrideparams);
-
-        $tabindent = str_repeat("\t", $indent);
-        $str = '';
-        foreach ($params as $key => $val) {
-            if (FALSE === array_search($key, $exclude)) {
-                $val = s($val);
-                $str.= "$tabindent<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"$key\" value=\"$val\" />\n";
-            }
-        }
-        return $str;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Shortcut for printing of encoded URL.
      * @return string
diff --git a/mod/quiz/edit.php b/mod/quiz/edit.php
index 403c689308e..76842a262a4 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/edit.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/edit.php
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ if ($quiz_reordertool) {
     echo '</div><div class="bd">';
     echo '<form action="edit.php" method="post">';
     echo '<fieldset class="invisiblefieldset">';
-    echo $thispageurl->hidden_params_out();
+    echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($thispageurl);
     echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="'.sesskey().'" />';
     //YUI does not submit the value of the submit button so
             //we need to add the value:
diff --git a/mod/quiz/editlib.php b/mod/quiz/editlib.php
index 530a8c08a9f..0b8194a64d3 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/editlib.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/editlib.php
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ function quiz_print_question_list($quiz, $pageurl, $allowdelete = true,
     if ($reordertool) {
         echo '<form method="post" action="edit.php" id="quizquestions"><div>';
 
-        echo $pageurl->hidden_params_out();
+        echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($pageurl);
         echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="' . sesskey() . '" />';
 
         echo $reordercontrolstop;
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ function quiz_print_question_list($quiz, $pageurl, $allowdelete = true,
     <fieldset class="invisiblefieldset" style="display: block;">
     <label for="<?php echo "inputq$question->id" ?>"><?php echo $strgrade; ?></label>:<br />
     <input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="<?php echo sesskey() ?>" />
-    <?php echo $pageurl->hidden_params_out(); ?>
+    <?php echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($pageurl); ?>
     <input type="hidden" name="savechanges" value="save" />
         <?php
             echo '<input type="text" name="g' . $question->id . '" id="inputq' . $question->id .
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ class quiz_question_bank_view extends question_bank_view {
     protected function display_options($recurse = 1, $showhidden = false, $showquestiontext = false) {
         echo '<form method="get" action="edit.php" id="displayoptions">';
         echo "<fieldset class='invisiblefieldset'>";
-        echo $this->baseurl->hidden_params_out(array('recurse', 'showhidden', 'showquestiontext'));
+        echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($this->baseurl, array('recurse', 'showhidden', 'showquestiontext'));
         $this->display_category_form_checkbox('recurse', get_string('recurse', 'quiz'));
         $this->display_category_form_checkbox('showhidden', get_string('showhidden', 'quiz'));
         echo '<noscript><div class="centerpara"><input type="submit" value="'. get_string('go')  . '" />';
@@ -1131,7 +1131,7 @@ function quiz_print_grading_form($quiz, $pageurl, $tabindex) {
     echo "<form method=\"post\" action=\"edit.php\"><div>";
     echo '<fieldset class="invisiblefieldset" style="display: block;">';
     echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"sesskey\" value=\"" . sesskey() . "\" />";
-    echo $pageurl->hidden_params_out();
+    echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($pageurl);
     $a = '<input type="text" id="inputmaxgrade" name="maxgrade" size="' . ($quiz->decimalpoints + 2) . '" tabindex="' . $tabindex
          . '" value="' . quiz_format_grade($quiz, $quiz->grade) . '" />';
     echo '<label for="inputmaxgrade">' . get_string('maximumgradex', '', $a) . "</label>";
diff --git a/mod/quiz/report/overview/overview_table.php b/mod/quiz/report/overview/overview_table.php
index db3fe87b198..d0427257e4b 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/report/overview/overview_table.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/report/overview/overview_table.php
@@ -74,10 +74,11 @@ class quiz_report_overview_table extends table_sql {
         if (!$this->is_downloading()) {
             if ($this->candelete) {
                 // Start form
+                $url = new moodle_url($this->reporturl, $this->displayoptions);
                 echo '<div id="tablecontainer">';
                 echo '<form id="attemptsform" method="post" action="' . $this->reporturl->out(true) .'">';
                 echo '<div style="display: none;">';
-                echo $this->reporturl->hidden_params_out(array(), 0, $this->displayoptions);
+                echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($url);
                 echo '</div>';
                 echo '<div>';
             }
diff --git a/mod/quiz/report/overview/report.php b/mod/quiz/report/overview/report.php
index 3fd7b688118..81956f4ad4d 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/report/overview/report.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/report/overview/report.php
@@ -292,10 +292,11 @@ class quiz_overview_report extends quiz_default_report {
                         $regradealldrylabel = get_string('regradealldry', 'quiz_overview');
                         $regradealllabel = get_string('regradeall', 'quiz_overview');
                     }
+                    $displayurl = new moodle_url($reporturl, $displayoptions);
                     echo '<div class="mdl-align">';
-                    echo '<form action="'.$reporturl->out(true).'">';
+                    echo '<form action="'.$displayurl->out(true).'">';
                     echo '<div>';
-                    echo $reporturl->hidden_params_out(array(), 0, $displayoptions);
+                    echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($displayurl);
                     echo '<input type="submit" name="regradeall" value="'.$regradealllabel.'"/>';
                     echo '<input type="submit" name="regradealldry" value="'.$regradealldrylabel.'"/>';
                     if ($countregradeneeded){
diff --git a/mod/quiz/report/responses/responses_table.php b/mod/quiz/report/responses/responses_table.php
index 310f09601ec..f2ee4504486 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/report/responses/responses_table.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/report/responses/responses_table.php
@@ -31,12 +31,13 @@ class quiz_report_responses_table extends table_sql {
         if (!$this->is_downloading()) {
             if ($this->candelete) {
                 // Start form
+                $displayurl = new moodle_url($this->reporturl, $this->displayoptions);
                 $strreallydel  = addslashes_js(get_string('deleteattemptcheck','quiz'));
                 echo '<div id="tablecontainer">';
-                echo '<form id="attemptsform" method="post" action="' . $this->reporturl->out(true) .
+                echo '<form id="attemptsform" method="post" action="' . $displayurl->out(true) .
                         '" onsubmit="confirm(\''.$strreallydel.'\');">';
                 echo '<div style="display: none;">';
-                echo $this->reporturl->hidden_params_out(array(), 0, $this->displayoptions);
+                echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($displayurl);
                 echo '</div>';
                 echo '<div>';
             }
diff --git a/question/editlib.php b/question/editlib.php
index 733b428be22..6cdeea5ba63 100644
--- a/question/editlib.php
+++ b/question/editlib.php
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ class question_bank_view {
     protected function display_options($recurse = 1, $showhidden = false, $showquestiontext = false) {
         echo '<form method="get" action="edit.php" id="displayoptions">';
         echo "<fieldset class='invisiblefieldset'>";
-        echo $this->baseurl->hidden_params_out(array('recurse', 'showhidden', 'showquestiontext'));
+        echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($this->baseurl, array('recurse', 'showhidden', 'showquestiontext'));
         $this->display_category_form_checkbox('recurse', get_string('recurse', 'quiz'));
         $this->display_category_form_checkbox('showhidden', get_string('showhidden', 'quiz'));
         $this->display_category_form_checkbox('qbshowtext', get_string('showquestiontext', 'quiz'));
@@ -1281,7 +1281,7 @@ class question_bank_view {
         echo '<form method="post" action="edit.php">';
         echo '<fieldset class="invisiblefieldset" style="display: block;">';
         echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="'.sesskey().'" />';
-        echo $pageurl->hidden_params_out();
+        echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($pageurl);
 
         echo '<div class="categoryquestionscontainer">';
         $this->start_table();
diff --git a/question/preview.php b/question/preview.php
index d77962f3742..94257c1d08d 100644
--- a/question/preview.php
+++ b/question/preview.php
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@
     print_question($questions[$id], $curstate, $number, $quiz, $options);
 
     echo '<div class="controls">';
-    echo $url->hidden_params_out();
+    echo html_writer::input_hidden_params($url);
 
     // Print the mark and finish attempt buttons
     echo '<input name="markall" type="submit" value="' . get_string('markall',