How do I URL encode a string

Question

I have a URL string (NSString) with spaces and & characters. How do I url encode the entire string (including the & ampersand character and spaces)?

Answer 1

swift code based on chown's objc answer in this thread.

extension String {
    func urlEncode() -> String {
        return CFURLCreateStringByAddingPercentEscapes(
            nil,
            self,
            nil,
            "!*'();:@&=+$,/?%#[]",
            CFStringBuiltInEncodings.UTF8.rawValue
        )
    }
}

Answer 2

In swift 3:

// exclude alpha and numeric == "full" encoding
stringUrl = stringUrl.addingPercentEncoding(withAllowedCharacters: .alphanumerics)!;

// exclude hostname and symbols &,/ and etc
stringUrl = stringUrl.addingPercentEncoding(withAllowedCharacters: .urlHostAllowed)!;

Answer 3

For individual www form-encoded query parameters, I made a category on NSString:

- (NSString*)WWWFormEncoded{
     NSMutableCharacterSet *chars = NSCharacterSet.alphanumericCharacterSet.mutableCopy;
     [chars addCharactersInString:@" "];
     NSString* encodedString = [self stringByAddingPercentEncodingWithAllowedCharacters:chars];
     encodedString = [encodedString stringByReplacingOccurrencesOfString:@" " withString:@"+"];
     return encodedString;
}