php URLEncode question

[deadhippo]

Hi, I have just set up a t-shirt ranking site. It is a free service but I had intended to add an affiliate code and it would pay for itself that way.
An I had done that or so I thought. I was able to add the affiliate code automatically to the script but I later found that the code was being stripped in the redirect.

The link I am using is as follows...except it is on one line. I broke it up so it wouldn't break up the page.

 http://theshirtlist.com/cafepress/design_hit.php?
design_id=eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3&
design_url=http://www.cafepress.com/deadhippo
/1201429&pid=xxxxxxx&tid=SL1

If you want to check out the link for yourself you can just look at my site - The Shirt List.

I was given the following piece of advice.

You haven't URL encoded the design_url value.
You won't be receiving any commission with that link. It's stripping away at the ampersand before pid. So all that gets passed to your redirect script is: http://www.cafepress.com/deadhippo/12014929

It should be formed like this:
http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecafepress%2Ecom%2Fdeadhippo+%2F 1201429%26pid%3Dxxxxxxx%26tid%3DSL1

You use a function called URLEncode to make the link look like that.

Then you need to decode it on your redirect script. Then redirect. And hey presto you redirect with a pid and a tid. No stripping away at the ampersand.

Unfortunately I don't know how to do this. If someone can help me I'd appreciate it.

[stymiee]

PHP has a built in function for this: urlencode()

[deadhippo]

Thanks for the reply. If I posted the code here would you be able to show me how to use this function? Unfprtunately I wouldn't even be able to ride on the coattails of a php novice.

[stymiee]

Just put whatever text (or variable holding text) into that function as a parameter. The function will return that text properly encoded for you. But feel free to post your code if you still need help.

[deadhippo]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. This is one part of the code below that I need to urlencode and then decode on the redirect.

<?
						$order_no = $order_no + 2;
						for($i=0;$i<2;$i++){
							$row_design[design_discription] = nl2br($row_design[design_discription]);
							$row_design[design_image] = "<a href='design_hit.php?design_id=$row_design[design_id]&design_url=$row_design[design_url]$site_pid' target='_blank'>[img]img/design/$row_design[design_image][/img]";

I think the following is what I need to encode.

$row_design[design_url]$site_pid

The first part part is the item url (i think) and the $site_pid is the affiliate code which is why I'm trying to solve this problem.

Does this help you help me?