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A
Anonymous
April 5, 2016
Question

Does Marketo's API decode encoded URLs?

  • April 5, 2016
  • 1 reply
  • 2298 views

Hello,

I'm testing the Get Multiple Campaigns API (which we use with the optional programName parameter) with a program name that has special characters in it (like an ampersand or a comma). These characters are preventing campaigns from being returned. I attempted to encode the URL, but it looks like Marketo doesn't decode the URL on their end, because I'm still unable to retrieve campaigns.

Does anyone know a way around this? Is there something I'm missing here? Is the only solution simply that users of our integration should just not include special characters in their program names?

Thanks!

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1 reply

SanfordWhiteman
SanfordWhiteman
Level 10
April 5, 2016

A comma doesn't to be encoded in a query string (or query string-like form payload).  An ampersand, yes.

Can you provide the code you're using and the (plaintext) program name you're trying to access?

A
Anonymous
April 5, 2016

I'm pretty much following the example Ruby code here:

http://developers.marketo.com/documentation/rest/get-multiple-campaigns/

A sample URL I'm using, which returns campaigns accurately in all other cases, looks like this: /rest/v1/campaigns.json?programName=My Program Name

Let's say I'm trying to access the campaigns under a program named "ABC_12-34-56-Abc & Abc, Abc123." This is what's happening:

  • When I don't encode the URL at all, this is how the URL is actually being sent to Marketo. The ampersand is basically breaking up the URL.
    • rest/v1/campaigns.json?+Abc%2C+Abc123&programName=ABC_12-34-56-Abc+
  • When I encode the URL, this is how the URL is being sent to Marketo. It looks like Marketo doesn't know what to do with this URL, and I still get zero campaigns under the program.
    • rest/v1/campaigns.json?programName=ABC_12-34-56-Abc+%26+Abc%2C+Abc123
  • Let's say I get rid of the ampersand entirely, and only focus on the comma - if I send over the program name "ABC_12-34-56-Abc and Abc, Abc123" without any encoding done on my end, the comma in the URL is getting sent over encoded by default, and Marketo still isn't returning any campaigns.
    • /rest/v1/campaigns.json?programName=ABC_12-34-56-Abc+and+Abc%2C+Abc123

Any ideas?

Thanks!

SanfordWhiteman
SanfordWhiteman
Level 10
April 5, 2016

What's happening is the comma is used as in internal (non-HTTP) delimiter by Marketo, so it has a reserved internal use.

programName=me,mine,moo is searching for 3 program names.

While there should be a way of quoting the entire name "me,mine,moo" I don't know what syntax the API supports for that. URL-encoding the comma won't suffice because that just keeps the whole param on the wire to Marketo, it doesn't change the internal meaning within Marketo.

@Kenny Elkington​

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