Allowing only question marks in input

[eluser]ModernNinjaX[/eluser]
Hey guys, I'm new to Codeigniter but I'm loving it so far... here's a question I have though

I have a controller method that needs to accept an external API key, which could possibly have a question mark in it.

How would I allow *only* this character in URLs? Codeigniter gives it a 404 immediately, even when I don't use the default routing (index.php/controller/method/api?key)

Thanks in advance

EDIT: By 'only' I mean that this is the only special character I want to allow (if CI is even designed to handle question marks)

[eluser]tonanbarbarian[/eluser]
im sure you have a reason for passing an API key via GET, i.e. in a URL, however I would consider that a little bit insecure
I would recommend looking at other ways to handle this if possible.
submission via POST and then storing in the session would be one way

[eluser]CroNiX[/eluser]
Have a look at /config/config.php

$config['permitted_uri_chars']

[eluser]Unknown[/eluser]
Thanks guys,
I was really informed,
Godspeed!how to deal with depression

[eluser]ModernNinjaX[/eluser]
[quote author="tonanbarbarian" date="1287561264"]im sure you have a reason for passing an API key via GET, i.e. in a URL, however I would consider that a little bit insecure
I would recommend looking at other ways to handle this if possible.
submission via POST and then storing in the session would be one way[/quote]Unfortunately I don't have a choice. I send the user to the external login site, they sign in, then the site sends back and API key in a querystring (I have the API send it to a non-CI file, which then redirects it to a CI-formatted file, defeating the purpose).

@CroNiX - Thanks, can't believe I missed this. I'll try it out

[eluser]ModernNinjaX[/eluser]
I just tried changing permitted_uri_chars and it did nothing to fix the 404 that I am getting.

Example (where test1=controller, test2=method)

index.php/test1/test2/test3?test

...will return a 404. Any suggestions?

[eluser]Watermark Studios[/eluser]
Although I'm not an expert in mod_rewrite, you could always include a rewrite rule to handle the URL, break it up and return it as index.php/test1/test2/test3/test4 which would have a method of test2 accepting 2 parameters of test3 and test4.

[eluser]ModernNinjaX[/eluser]
[quote author="Watermark Studios" date="1287622962"]Although I'm not an expert in mod_rewrite, you could always include a rewrite rule to handle the URL, break it up and return it as index.php/test1/test2/test3/test4 which would have a method of test2 accepting 2 parameters of test3 and test4.[/quote]Apologies if I didn't state this clearly, but that's not what I'm trying to do.

The API is designed to return something like this:

index.php?apikey=[key]

index.php is a NON-CI script that will redirect to index.php/controller/method/[key]

[key] COULD be a question mark. It isn't designed to initiate a new GET query, though. It's still part of apikey.

Anyway, this isn't exactly my problem. I think I know how to properly handle the returns.

The issue is that index.php/controller/method/[key] will immediately 404 by codeigniter if apikey has a question mark in it.

[eluser]ModernNinjaX[/eluser]
Anyone have any answers? Here's a better overview of the problem.

1. User goes to external login page
2. On success, that page goes back to a NON-CI page, with an apikey in the querystring.
3. That page simply redirects to a CI page with the correct format (index.php/controller/method/apikey)

However... if apikey has a question mark in it (still part of apikey, *NOT* a new definition in a querystring) in it, Codeigniter returns 404. I could just use str_replace() in the pages that handle the apikey, but that would be a last resort option.

Really hoping someone can point me in the right direction, thanks.