What is the easiest way to read/manipulate query string params using javascript?

Question

The examples I've seen online seem much more complex than I expected (manually parsing &/?/= into pairs, using regular expressions, etc). We're using asp.net ajax (don't see anything in their client side reference) and would consider adding jQuery if it would really help.

I would think there is a more elegant solution out there - so far this is the best code I've found but I would love to find something more along the lines of the HttpRequest.QueryString object (asp.net server side). Thanks in advance,

Shane

Answer 1

There is indeed a QueryString plugin for jQuery, if you're willing to install the jQuery core and the plugin it could prove useful.

Answer 2

Take a look at my post, as it tells you exactly how to do this:

http://seattlesoftware.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/javascript-query-string/

Answer 3

A quick search found this plugin for jQuery that allows you to access query string params. It is used like this to get values from the query string:

$.query.get('id');

or like this to create a new query string, and it is chainable:

var newUrl = $.query.set("section", 5).set("action", "do").toString();

I don't think there is anything built into Javascript.

Answer 4

For jQuery I suggest jQuery BBQ: Back Button & Query Library By "Cowboy" Ben Alman

jQuery BBQ leverages the HTML5 hashchange event to allow simple, yet powerful bookmarkable #hash history. In addition, jQuery BBQ provides a full .deparam() method, along with both hash state management, and fragment / query string parse and merge utility methods.

Example:

// Parse URL, deserializing query string into an object.
// http://www.example.com/foo.php?a=1&b=2&c=hello#test
// search is set to ?a=1&b=2&c=hello
// myObj is set to { a:"1", b:"2", c:"hello" }
var search = window.location.search;
var myObj = $.deparam.querystring( search );

Answer 5

I am using this function in case i don't want to use a plugin:

function getQueryVariable(variable) {
    var query = window.location.search.substring(1);
    var vars = query.split("&");
    for (var i = 0; i < vars.length; i++) {
        var pair = vars[i].split("=");
        if (pair[0] == variable) {
            return pair[1];
        }
    }
    return null;
}