space is neglected when passed a string by URL

Question

I am using the following code to display a hyperlink inside a table:

echo "<td><a href=http://www.smstoneta.com/show.php?opcode=TCP Y".">". $row['num_y']."</a></td>";

The hyperlink is displayed successfully but when I click on the hyperlink, the URL is

www.smstoneta.com/show.php?opcode=TCP

instead of

www.smstoneta.com/show.php?opcode=TCP Y

Why am I not getting the full URL?

You need to look at urlencode... php.net/manual/en/function.urlencode.php — Gavin
– Gavin, Commented Oct 14, 2013 at 20:40

Joao · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-14 20:41:20Z

$opCode = urlencode('TCP Y'); echo "<td><a href=http://www.smstoneta.com/show.php?opcode=".$opCode.">".$row['num_y']."</a></td>";

DaneSoul · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-14 20:45:43Z

You need URL Encode spaces to make them working in links.

Here is manual for PHP function urlencode

$safe_url = urlencode('http://www.smstoneta.com/show.php?opcode=TCP Y'); echo "<td><a href=" .$safe_url. ">" .$row['num_y']. "</a></td>";

BTW, more readable (no concatenation needed) version to echo such strings is:

echo "<td><a href='{$safe_url}'>{$row['num_y']}</a></td>";

2 Answers 2