Pass URL string from javascript to WCF Service

Question

I have a WCF service which I want to pass URL strings to. However, whenever it encounters a '%' or '/' character it falls over.

Example from javascript, this works

$.post("http://localhost:15286/Service1.svc/Submit/thor");

But neither of these do:

$.post("http://localhost:15286/Service1.svc/Submit/http://www.google.com");
$.post("http://localhost:15286/Service1.svc/Submit/http:%");

I have a breakpoint in my service and it doesn't even get hit for the last two examples.

I'm new to WCF services so I might just be making a rookie mistake.

WCF Service

[ServiceContract]
public interface IService1
{
    [WebInvoke(UriTemplate = "/Submit/{imageURL}")]
    [OperationContract]
    string Submit(string imageURL);
}


public class Service1 : IService1
{
    public string Submit(string imageURL)
    {
        return String.Format("Thanks, you sent me '{0}'.", imageURL);
    }
}

Can you try a test with argument th%20or and let us know the results? I would expect that to resolve to th<space>or server-side. — RB.
– RB., Commented Feb 24, 2012 at 14:21
@RB th%20or worked. So it isn't the % that is the problem. Based on that I tried encodeURIComponent("google.com") which resolves to http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com which failed. It doesn't like the %3A, the %F2 or the '.' characters :( — BeepBoop
– BeepBoop, Commented Feb 24, 2012 at 14:41

Enrico Campidoglio · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-24 14:41:47Z

4

Try encoding the last part of the URL with the encodeURIComponent JavaScript function:

var parameter = encodeURIComponent("http://www.google.com")
var url = "http://localhost:15286/Service1.svc/Submit/" + parameter 
$.post(url);

However, you might still get the same error due to WCF not correctly parsing some URL encoded characters. This seems to be a bug in WCF, to which there are a couple of known workarounds:

Pass the encoded URL parameter as a query string parameter
Configure how URI should be parsed through the <schemeSettings> configuration element available in .NET 4.0

You could start by passing the encoded URL as a query string parameter and see if it works. Here's an example:

[ServiceContract]
public interface IMyService
{
    [WebInvoke(UriTemplate = "/Submit?url={imageURL}")]
    [OperationContract]
    string Submit(string imageURL);
}

and on the client:

var parameter = encodeURIComponent("http://www.google.com")
var url = "http://localhost:15286/Service1.svc/Submit?url=" + parameter 
$.post(url);

edited Feb 24, 2012 at 14:41

answered Feb 24, 2012 at 13:37

Enrico Campidoglio

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8 Comments

RB. Over a year ago

That will encode the whole URL. He only needs to encode the argument :)

BeepBoop Over a year ago

Unfortunately that gives me the same result. I think the problem is on the web service side of things possibly?

BeepBoop Over a year ago

Encoding the argument gives the same result. As encoding it will add '%' signs and the web service doesn't seem to like them either :(

RB. Over a year ago

@user914082 Did you try using encodeURIComponent as in my answer? That will encode the : and / characters, which I'm sure will fix your problem.

BeepBoop Over a year ago

Yay, changing it to use a query string parameter did the job. Thanks everyone for your help :)

|

RB. · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-24 13:39:31Z

1

Use the encodeURIComponent function to correctly encode your parameter, e.g:

$.post("http://localhost:15286/Service1.svc/Submit/" + 
       encodeURIComponent("http://www.google.com"));

Note that the encodeURI function will not encode the / or : character.

answered Feb 24, 2012 at 13:39

RB.

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