Unanswered

Parameter 'Initial URL': Syntax error

(0) Share

Report

Posted on by JackyGrealish

Hi, I need to open a sharepoint link where I upload documents in it. But the sharepoint url contains '%' and PAD cannot continue the process. I have tried ways such as removing any % or double it up by %% but it does not work. Is there any other solutions that can overcome this? this is what happens when doing the above. Thanks 🙂

Categories:

Power Automate Desktop

I have the same question (0)

All responses (6)

Answers (0)

Sort by

AS-06081019-0 1,738 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

@JackyGrealish See it solves your issue: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Automate-Desktop/Facing-Parameter-Initial-URL-Syntax-error-while-adding-sign/m-p/1650212#M15629

Cheers,
Ankesh
--------------------------------
If this post helps answer your question, please click on “Accept as Solution” to help other members find it more quickly. If you thought this post was helpful, please give it a Thumbs Up.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
JackyGrealish 79 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Do you mean adding a '%' at the end? as I just tried it and it still prompt me the same error.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
AS-06081019-0 1,738 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Set it in a variable in single quotes and pass the variable

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
VJR 7,635 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

I do not know if there is any url encoding functionality in PAD, but can you try by replacing the % characters with its corresponding equivalent.

For example replacing %20 with space and the others as per the table inside.

https://www.w3schools.com/tags/ref_urlencode.ASP

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
AS-06081019-0 1,738 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

I mean like this: %'https://www.bing.com/?toWww=1&redig=2688499BF0034643B6B289E9F4D81BCA'%

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
AS-06081019-0 1,738 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

@JackyGrealish Adding to what @VJR has suggested(Escape The Special Characters In The URL)

I would recommend you to try this approach and eventually you will get your URL which can be parsed by PAD:

Lets say this is a lengthy SP URL:
https://ABCD.sharepoint.com/sites/Power/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?newTargetListUrl=%2Fsites%2FPower%2FShared%20Documents&viewpath=%2Fsites%2FPower%2FShared%20Documents%2FForms%2FAllItems%2Easpx&id=%2Fsites%2FPower%2FShared%20Documents%2FDemo&viewid=69a24f72%2D7786%2D4477%2Db21f%2D267bc8cbf943

The trick could be to break it into smaller sections. PAD doesn't check whether the URL address itself is a valid web page until run-time. Its only checking for invalid characters.

Split up your string
split up the string and enter increasingly longer sections at a time.
https://ABCD.sharepoint.com/sites/Power/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?newTargetListUrl=%2Fsites%
Then add another short section:
https://ABCD.sharepoint.com/sites/Power/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?newTargetListUrl=%2Fsites%2FPower%2FShared%20Documents&viewpath
If it gives an invalid message. You would know that the second half of the string has a special character that needs to be escaped.

Keep adding on sections
It wont take long before you have a full URL that PAD can parse.

Cheers,
Ankesh
--------------------------------
If this post helps answer your question, please click on “Accept as Solution” to help other members find it more quickly. If you thought this post was helpful, please give it a Thumbs Up.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No