Parsing URL Parameters from Client Script - Unnecessary Escape Characters

[Community Alums]

JavaScript Gurus,

Based on the SNCGuru article here:

https://servicenowguru.com/scripting/client-scripts-scripting/parse-url-parameters-client-script/ 

I see the following short script:

function getParameterValue(name) {  
    name = name.replace(/[\[]/, "\\\[").replace(/[\]]/, "\\\]");  
    var regexS = "[\\?&]" + name + "=([^&#]*)";  
    var regex = new RegExp(regexS);  
    var results = regex.exec(top.location);  
    if (results == null) {  
        return "";  
    } else {  
        return unescape(results[1]);  
    }  
}

...But the script editor is complaining of some errors on the "name.replace" line...

Can someone help me fix up this script so there are no errors or warnings?

I'm not totally clear on what the Intention was.  Thank you!!

[Community Alums · Accepted solution]

Hi @Community Alums,

The intention was to escape characters which should normally be escaped in a regex. However because of the way the characters are used here, there's no need to escape.

unescape is a deprecated function. You should use decodeURI instead.

You can use it like this:

 function getParameterValue(name) {  
    name = name.replace(/[[]/, "\\[").replace(/[\]]/, "\\]");  
    var regexS = "[\\?&]" + name + "=([^&#]*)";  
    var regex = new RegExp(regexS);  
    var results = regex.exec(top.location);  
    if (results == null) {  
        return "";  
    } else {  
		return decodeURI(results[1]);
    }  
}