Slashes in a query string parameter?

Question

How can I send a file path as a query string parameter?

This is my string parameter:

//domain/documents/Pdf/1234.pdf

I have tried that:

 [HttpPost]
 [Route("documents/print/{filePath*}")]
 public string PrintDocuments([FromBody] string[] docs,string filePath)
 {
 .....
 }

But this is not working, I guess because of the double slashes in the beginning of the parameter.

Any idea?

• DoctorMick: Can you not just encode the file path?
• spammer: stackoverflow.com/questions/68881593/…

Answer 1

If, like you say, that entire string is the parameter, and not a route, you will need to URL encode it. You should always do this anyway:

System.Net.WebUtility.UrlEncode(<your string>);
// %2F%2Fdomain%2Fdocuments%2FPdf%2F1234.pdf

Update

Since that is not working, I would suggest you Base64 encode it instead of URL encode it:

var plainTextBytes = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(<your string>);
var encodedFilePath = System.Convert.ToBase64String(plainTextBytes);

..and in your controller decode it:

byte[] data = Convert.FromBase64String(filepath);
string decodedString = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(data);

• user3378165: Thank you, would you be able to give me an example of how to do it?
• Crowcoder: I would if I weren't on my phone at the moment. Check out the mvc urlhelper . I would avoid system.web if possible.
• user3378165: Thank you! 1-I tried that but i'm getting a 404 error, this is my URL: localhost:111/MySolution/api/documents/print/… ,Any idea how to solve that? 2-would you be able to explain why you would avoid system.web? Thanks so much!
• Crowcoder: I don't know why you get 404. Are you sure your route is configured correctly? Did you try a normal string as a test instead of one that is a file path? System.Web is a heavy, bloated, legacy library that is not necessarily needed with MVC. If you already have a reference to it for another reason then it doesn't really matter.
• Crowcoder: I guess it is still interpreting the route parameter as part of the route. See my edit for use of Base64 encoding.

Answer 2

System.Web.HTTPUtility.UrlEncode(@"//domain/documents/Pdf/1234.pdf")