docs/libcurl/curl_unescape.3

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.TH curl_unescape 3 "October 31, 2021" "libcurl 7.80.0" "libcurl Manual"

.SH NAME
curl_unescape - URL decodes the given string
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B #include <curl/curl.h>
.sp
.BI "char *curl_unescape( const char *" url ", int "length " );"
.ad
.SH DESCRIPTION
Obsolete function. Use \fIcurl_easy_unescape(3)\fP instead!

This function will convert the given URL encoded input string to a "plain
string" and return that as a new allocated string. All input characters that
are URL encoded (%XX where XX is a two-digit hexadecimal number) will be
converted to their plain text versions.

If the 'length' argument is set to 0, curl_unescape() will use strlen() on the
input 'url' string to find out the size.

You must \fIcurl_free(3)\fP the returned string when you are done with it.
.SH EXAMPLE
.nf
CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
if(curl) {
  int decodelen;
  char *decoded = curl_unescape("%63%75%72%6c", 12, &decodelen);
  if(decoded) {
    /* do not assume printf() works on the decoded data! */
    printf("Decoded: ");
    /* ... */
    curl_free(decoded);
  }
}
.fi
.SH AVAILABILITY
Since 7.15.4, \fIcurl_easy_unescape(3)\fP should be used. This function will
be removed in a future release.
.SH RETURN VALUE
A pointer to a null-terminated string or NULL if it failed.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.br curl_easy_escape "(3)," curl_easy_unescape "(3)," curl_free "(3)," RFC 2396