I have a method that scrapes data from a url and returns that as a string variable. Currently the method is working if i put in my own url, but when i insert a generated url it doesnt work.
e.g.
The following string is working if I insert it into a variable, and pass it:
http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/apps/geoservices/rwsnl/awd.php?mode=html&projecttype=windsnelheden_en_windstoten&category=1&loc=ZBWI&net=LMW
But this string is being generated by another source. The result of my attempt to fetch it is (var_dump()):
string(154) "http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/apps/geoservices/rwsnl/awd.php?mode=html&projecttype=windsnelheden_en_windstoten&category=1&loc=ZBWI&net=LMW"
The string is only 138 characters, however it prints string(158). I think this has something to do with the fact it is not working, but i'm not even sure...
Does anyone have any idea how to clean this up? I have found other questions with the question why var_dump() is showing another value then the length of the string, and that had something to do with unvisible characters, but no real solution is given anywhere.
Thx
154-138 = 16
You have 4 & in the string
& HTML encoded is &
So your string seems to be HTML encoded - in the browser you don't see the encoding unless you "View Source".
You can use html_entity_decode() to decode the string or, if possible, make sure that you get a string that is not encoded for HTML output in the first place.