Let me clarify my previous node, there are at least three ways to read a scratchpad:

• via node 108949 with displaytype raw, but this will show a rendered scratchpad
• parsing user's info forms, but you need a parser different from the one you would use for normal nodes (for example XML::Simple)
• via user's home node with displaytype xml

The first method will never give the original content of the node; the second is a little tricky compared to the xml solution; the third will not work on your own scratchpad if it is not public.
I think that the xml displaytype should be corrected to show my scratchpad if I provide the required credentials. Am I wrong?

update: thank you very much tye!!!