ENCODE{string} -- encode a string to URL or HTML entities

  • Encode "special" characters to HTML numeric entities or to URL entities.
  • Encoded characters:
    • all non-printable ASCII characters below space, except newline ("\n") and linefeed ("\r")
    • HTML special characters "<", ">", "&", single quote (') and double quote (")
    • TWiki special characters "%", "[", "]", "@", "_", "*", "=" and "|"
  • Syntax: %ENCODE{"string"}%
  • Supported parameters:
Parameter: Description: Default:
"string" String to encode required (can be empty)
type="url" Encode special characters for URL parameter use, like a double quote into %22 (this is the default)
type="quotes" Escape double quotes with backslashes (\"), does not change other characters. This type does not protect against cross-site scripting. type="url"
type="moderate" Encode special characters into HTML entities for moderate cross-site scripting protection: "<", ">", single quote (') and double quote (") are encoded. Useful to allow TWiki variables in comment boxes. type="url"
type="safe" Encode special characters into HTML entities for cross-site scripting protection: "<", ">", "%", single quote (') and double quote (") are encoded. type="url"
type="entity" Encode special characters into HTML entities, like a double quote into &#034;. Does not encode newline (\n) or linefeed (\r). type="url"
type="entity"
extra=" $n$r"
For type="entity" only, use the extra parameter to encode additional characters to HTML numeric entities. Formatting tokens can be used, such as "$n" for newline. Note that type="entity" extra=" $n$r" is equivalent to type="html". type="url"
extra=""
type="html" Encode special characters into HTML entities. In addition to type="entity", it also encodes space, \n and \r. Useful to encode text properly in HTML input fields. See equivalent ENTITY. type="url"
  • Examples:
    • %ENCODE{"spaced name"}% expands to spaced%20name
    • %ENCODE{"spaced name" type="entity" extra=" "}% expands to spaced&#32;name
  • Notes:
    • Values of HTML input fields should be encoded as "html". A shorter %ENTITY{any text}% can be used instead of the more verbose %ENCODE{ "any text" type="html" }%.
      Example: <input type="text" name="address" value="%ENTITY{any text}%" />
    • Double quotes in strings must be escaped when passed into other TWiki variables.
      Example: %SEARCH{ "%ENCODE{ "string with "quotes"" type="quotes" }%" noheader="on" }%
    • Use type="moderate", type="safe", type="entity" or type="html" to protect user input from URL parameters and external sources against cross-site scripting (XSS). type="html" is the safest mode, but some TWiki applications might not work. type="safe" provides a safe middle ground, type="moderate" provides only moderate cross-site scripting protection.
  • Category: ApplicationsAndComponentsVariables, DevelopmentVariables, ExportAndPublishingVariables
  • Related: ENTITY, FORMFIELD, QUERYPARAMS, URLPARAM