NSString URL decode?

Question

I have tried a lot of approaches out there, but this tiny little string just cannot be URL decoded.

NSString *decoded;
NSString *encoded = @"fields=ID%2CdeviceToken";
decoded = (__bridge NSString*)CFURLCreateStringByReplacingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding(NULL, (CFStringRef)encoded, NULL, NSUTF8StringEncoding);
NSLog(@"decodedString %@", decoded);

The code above just logs the same (!) string after replacing percent escapes.

Is there a reliable solution out there? I think some kind of RegEx solution based on some documentation could work. Any suggestion?

for swift let decoded = encoded!.stringByReplacingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding); — johndpope, Jun 30 '15 at 02:06

score 34 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 27 '13 at 03:52

34

Another option would be:

NSString *decoded = [encoded stringByReplacingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];

answered Mar 27 '13 at 03:52

rmaddy

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I still have percents in mine after doing this for example. http%3A%2F%2Fwebsite.com – Alioo Oct 22 '13 at 21:41
@Alioo This code works for your example in iOS10.1, which system version did you use then? I think implementation of the interface has changed. – KudoCC Nov 22 '16 at 02:15

score 18 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Use CFSTR("") instead of NULL for the second to last argument. From the CFURL reference:

charactersToLeaveEscaped

Characters whose percent escape sequences, such as %20 for a space character, you want to leave intact. Pass NULL to specify that no percent escapes be replaced, or the empty string (CFSTR("")) to specify that all be replaced.

    NSString *encoded = @"fields=ID%2CdeviceToken";
    NSString *decoded = (__bridge_transfer NSString *)CFURLCreateStringByReplacingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding(NULL, (CFStringRef)encoded, CFSTR(""), kCFStringEncodingUTF8);
    NSLog(@"decodedString %@", decoded);

Prints:

2013-03-26 21:48:52.559 URLDecoding[28794:303] decodedString fields=ID‭,‬deviceToken

@Carl When I try your code it prints `Decoded String : (null) ` in console. I found the reason. Instead of `NSUTF8StringEncoding `, I used `kCFStringEncodingUTF8` and it works. — Geek, May 30 '14 at 10:22

score 14 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 21 '15 at 08:23

14

CFURLCreateStringByReplacingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding is deprecated in iOS 9. Use stringByRemovingPercentEncoding instead.

NSString *decoded = [encoded stringByRemovingPercentEncoding];

answered Dec 21 '15 at 08:23

Mohammed Afsul

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score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

1

Swift 3

import Foundation

let charSet = CharacterSet.urlPathAllowed.union(.urlQueryAllowed) // just use what you need, either path or query
let enc = "Test Test Test".addingPercentEncoding(withAllowedCharacters: charSet)!
let dec = enc.removingPercentEncoding!

print("Encoded: \(enc)")
print("Decoded: \(dec)")

Output:

Encoded: Test%20Test%20Test

Decoded: Test Test Test

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Feb 17 '17 at 14:25

hashier

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NSString URL decode?

4 Answers4