Encode String URL in Java

Question

I have this code below that encodes a URL before it is send over the wire (email):

private static String urlFor(HttpServletRequest request, String code, String email, boolean forgot) {
    try {
        URI url = forgot
            ? new URI(request.getScheme(), null, request.getServerName(), request.getServerPort(), createHtmlLink(),
                    "code="+code+"&email="+email+"&forgot=true", null)
            : new URI(request.getScheme(), null, request.getServerName(), request.getServerPort(), createHtmlLink(),
                    "code="+code+"&email="+email, null);
        String s = url.toString();
        return s;
    } catch (URISyntaxException e) {
        throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
}  

/**
 * Create the part of the URL taking into consideration if 
 * its running on dev mode or production
 * 
 * @return
 */
public static String createHtmlLink(){
    if (GAEUtils.isGaeProd()){
        return "/index.html#ConfirmRegisterPage;";
    } else {
        return "/index.html?gwt.codesvr=127.0.0.1:9997#ConfirmRegisterPage;";
    }
}

The problem with this is that the generated email looks like this:

http://127.0.0.1:8888/index.html%3Fgwt.codesvr=127.0.0.1:9997%23ConfirmRegisterPage;?code=fdc12e195d&[email protected]

The ? mark and # symbol is replaced with %3F and %23 where when the link is opened from the browser it will not open as it is incorrect.

What is the correct way to do this?

Encode only the query parameters, not the path segemts.

user1907906
– user1907906

2013-07-29 12:57:01 +00:00
Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:57 — user1907906
– user1907906, Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 12:57

Rasmus Faber · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-30 06:57:23Z

1

You need to combine the query-parts of the url and add the fragment as the correct parameter.

Something like this should work:

private static String urlFor(HttpServletRequest request, String code, String email, boolean forgot) {
    try {
        URI htmlLink = new URI(createHtmlLink());
        String query = htmlLink.getQuery();
        String fragment = htmlLink.getFragment();
        fragment += "code="+code+"&email="+email;
        if(forgot){
            fragment += "&forgot=true";
        }
        URI url = new URI(request.getScheme(), null, request.getServerName(), request.getServerPort(), htmlLink.getPath(),
                    query, fragment);
        String s = url.toString();
        return s;
    } catch (URISyntaxException e) {
        throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
}

edited Jul 30, 2013 at 6:57

answered Jul 29, 2013 at 13:16

Rasmus Faber

49.8k25 gold badges149 silver badges193 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

quarks Over a year ago

Thanks, I just tried your code but the output looks like this: http://127.0.0.1:8888/index.html?gwt.codesvr=127.0.0.1:9997&code=4522ebee9f&[email protected]#ConfirmRegisterPage; it should be http://127.0.0.1:8888/index.html?gwt.codesvr=127.0.0.1:9997#ConfirmRegisterPage;&code=4522ebee9f&[email protected]

Rasmus Faber Over a year ago

@xybrek: Are you 100% sure about that? I am 90% sure that the "&code=...&email=..." should go in the query part and not in the fragment part, but if you are sure, just append the "&code..." to htmlLink.getFragment() instead of htmlLink.getQuery().

quarks Over a year ago

Yeah... as per Errai documentation: docs.jboss.org/author/display/ERRAI/Errai+UI+Navigation

Rasmus Faber Over a year ago

Very well then. I have updated the code to fit that output (I assume you mean "#ConfirmRegisterPage;code=45..." and not "#ConfirmRegisterPage;&code=45...").

AllTooSir · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-29 12:58:13Z

1

You can use the Java API method URLEncoder#encode(). Encode the query parameters using the method.

A better API for doing this is the UriBuilder.

answered Jul 29, 2013 at 12:58

AllTooSir

49.5k17 gold badges132 silver badges164 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Encode String URL in Java

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related