[ic] Bug Report: URL - Hex Encoding Error

Zachary Matthews zac@mediapc.com
Tue, 14 Nov 2000 07:57:02 -0800


I am noticing a problem with the construct demo that is possibly going 
unnoticed.  After doing a product search, and then buying an item
individually, or using buy list, the URL returned should be the same as
the last product search:
(from results.html)
     [bounce href="[history-scan exclude=nothing]"]

However, in reality, the resulting URL is not being properly HEX encoded
for spaces and other special characters.  On some servers (such as
demo.akpia.com) this results in slightly modifying the search
parameters.  On other web servers (such as my own - svwh.net) the server
gives a bad request error.

For example, try the following:

1) Go to <http://demo.akopia.com/cgi-bin/iccvsro
2) Click on 'Hand Planes' under 'Hand Tools'
3) This produces the following URL:
 -><http://demo.akopia.com/cgi-bin/iccvsro/scan/st=db/co=yes/sf=category
/se=Hand%20Planes/va=link_image%3d/va=link_banner%3d.html>
and returns one product result:
    -> The Blade Hand Planer

4) Enter a number for the quantity you wish to purchase (everyone should
own at least 3 of these bad boys!).  Click on the 'buy' button or the
'buy list' button.

5) Notice the URL that is returned:
 -><http://demo.akopia.com/cgi-bin/iccvsro/scan/st=db/co=yes/sf=category
/se=Hand
Planes/va=link_image=/va=link_banner=.html?mv_session_id=wRCn8RbY&mv_use
rname=&mv_nextpage=results>
and this time, two products are returned:
    -> The Blade Hand Planer
    -> Deluxe Hand Saw


The problem is occurring because for the first URL, 'se=Hand%20Planes'
while in the second URL, 'se=Hand Planes'. This could potentially cause
much worse problems than incorrect search results. On my server I just
get a bad request error.

Is there a way to fix the [bounce href="[history-scan exclude=nothing]"]
tag to produce a properly HEX encoded URL?

Thanks,
Zac