how to properly encode ampersands in querystring

Are you looking for Server.URLEncod e?
http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/042601-1.shtml

Or maybe Server.HTMLEnco de and Server.HTMLDeco de?
http://www.devx.com/tips/Tip/13459

--
I hope this helps,
Steve C. Orr, MCSD, MVP
http://SteveOrr.net
"darrel" <no*****@hotmai l.com> wrote in message
news:Ol******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...

I am creating a querystring to look like this:

form_edit.aspx? collectionID=25 &amp;confirmati onMessage=New+f orm+entry+saved

Note that I'm escaping the ampersand.

However, I can't grab the 'confirmationMe ssage' querystring unless I do
NOT
encode the ampersand. I assume I'm missing something obvious here. Any
suggestions?

-Darrel

> Are you looking for Server.URLEncod e?

http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/042601-1.shtml

Or maybe Server.HTMLEnco de and Server.HTMLDeco de?
http://www.devx.com/tips/Tip/13459

Well, I'm 'encoding' it manually, but yea, maybe I need to unencode it.

So, how would I call a querystring in a URL after HTMLDecode?

Or would I decode it, then just parse it as a text string?

-Darrel

You could do that. Or, on the receiving page you can get the value off the
querystring with
code something like this:
Dim nvc As NameValueCollec tion
nvc=Request.Que ryString
Here's more info:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ClassTopic.asp

---
I hope this helps,
Steve C. Orr, MCSD, MVP
http://Steve.Orr.net

"darrel" <no*****@hotmai l.com> wrote in message
news:Oy******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

Are you looking for Server.URLEncod e?
http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/042601-1.shtml

Or maybe Server.HTMLEnco de and Server.HTMLDeco de?
http://www.devx.com/tips/Tip/13459

Well, I'm 'encoding' it manually, but yea, maybe I need to unencode it.

So, how would I call a querystring in a URL after HTMLDecode?

Or would I decode it, then just parse it as a text string?

-Darrel

I'm curious why do you need to encode the ampersand? Is it to comply to XHTML
standards?

Cheers,
Tom Pester

I am creating a querystring to look like this:

form_edit.aspx? collectionID=25 &amp;confirmati onMessage=New+f orm+entry+
saved

Note that I'm escaping the ampersand.

However, I can't grab the 'confirmationMe ssage' querystring unless I
do NOT encode the ampersand. I assume I'm missing something obvious
here. Any suggestions?

-Darrel

I suggest that you put one more ampersand after & because each and every
value in a query string is separated by ampersand. For example
index.aspx?a=5& b=10. In your example,
form_edit.aspx? collectionID=25 &amp;&confirmat ionMessage=New+ ....

I hope it helps to encode/decode.

"darrel" wrote:

I am creating a querystring to look like this:

form_edit.aspx? collectionID=25 &confirmationMe ssage=New+form+ entry+saved

Note that I'm escaping the ampersand.

However, I can't grab the 'confirmationMe ssage' querystring unless I do NOT
encode the ampersand. I assume I'm missing something obvious here. Any
suggestions?

-Darrel

Kevin Spencer wrote:

The ampersand is a standard URL delimiter for parameters in a query
string. It should never be HTML-Encoded.

Unless it's being included within the HTML itself (for example, in an anchor
tag), in which case it should.

This is valid XHTML (and works just fine):

<a href="http://myserver/mypage.aspx?a=1 &amp;b=2">Li nk</a>

When clicked, the actual URL that will be present in the browser will have a
plain ampersand between the two parameters, not an encoded ampersand.

This is not valid (though it also works):
<a href="http://myserver/mypage.aspx?a=1 &b=2">Link</a>

HTML can be a pain in the backside sometimes.

--

(O)enone

> I'm curious why do you need to encode the ampersand? Is it to comply to
XHTML

standards?

I don't *need* too...just trying to get in the habit of doing it.

-Darrel

> I suggest that you put one more ampersand after & because each and every

value in a query string is separated by ampersand. For example
index.aspx?a=5& b=10. In your example,
form_edit.aspx? collectionID=25 &amp;&confirmat ionMessage=New+ ....

I hope it helps to encode/decode.

The problem is that I still have an unencoded ampersand in the URL then.

-Darrel

> The ampersand is a standard URL delimiter for parameters in a query
string.

It should never be HTML-Encoded. If you want to send a literal ampersand,
you should use URL-Encoding, as per my first suggestion.

I was under the impression that an amersand in a URL, unenecoded, was
invalid XHTML.

http://www.456bereastreet.com/archiv...nd_validation/

Also, you introduce the problem of accidently creating an unintentional
entity:

mypage.aspx?id= 2&amplitude=4
----

which can mess up some browsers.

-Darrel