30 November 2024 Leave a comment Tech-Help
Deep linking in Android allows you to open a specific activity in your app using a URL. This is particularly useful for creating seamless user experiences where app content is accessible directly from web links or other apps. In this guide, we will tackle the common issue of handling multiple query parameters in deep links, which can often lead to incomplete data being passed to your app.
Understanding the Problem
When implementing deep linking, you may encounter a scenario where only part of the URL is passed to your app. This typically happens when using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to test deep links with multiple query parameters. A common issue is the truncation of the URL after the first ‘&’ character, leading to incomplete data being received by your app.
Solutions to Handle Multiple Query Parameters
Here are some effective methods to ensure that all query parameters are correctly passed to your app:
1. Escaping ‘&’ Characters
One straightforward solution is to escape the ‘&’ character in your ADB command. This can be done by adding a backslash (‘\’) before each ‘&’. For example:
adb shell am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "myCustomScheme://myHost?key=category_parent_id\&value=92\&title=test" com.myApp.android2. Using Single Quotes
Another approach is to wrap your entire ADB command in single quotes. This prevents the shell from interpreting ‘&’ as a command separator:
adb shell 'am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "myCustomScheme://myHost?key=category_parent_id&value=92&title=test" com.myApp.android'3. URL Encoding
Alternatively, you can URL encode the parameters. This converts special characters to a format that can be transmitted over the internet:
adb shell am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "myCustomScheme://myHost?key%3Dcategory_parent_id%26value%3D92%26title%3Dtest" com.myApp.androidImplementing the Solution in Your Development Workflow
Choosing the right solution depends on your specific development environment and requirements. If you’re frequently testing deep links, consider integrating these practices into your testing scripts or automation tools.
Enhancing Your Testing with Repeato
For those seeking a more efficient approach to testing Android apps, consider using Repeato, a no-code test automation tool. Repeato simplifies the process of creating, running, and maintaining automated tests for your apps, leveraging AI and computer vision to enhance accuracy. With built-in ADB support, Repeato allows you to execute ADB commands in sequence, making it ideal for testing complex deep link scenarios effortlessly.
For more detailed guidance on setting up your testing environment, visit our documentation section.
