Full url in QR code won't open when Barcode Scanner is accessed with callback from web page

[Peter Gray]

Hi.

    I'm trying to use the zxing Barcode Scanner app when called from the browser on Android, using a link to http://zxing.appspot.com/scan. The QR codes contain a full url, in the format https://mysite.com?a=1&b=2. This works just fine, although I have to tap on "Open Browser" to reach the link. When I try to remove this step by adding a ret value to calling link (http://zxing.appspot.com/scan?ret=%7BCODE%7D), the callback will not trigger; Barcode Scanner recognizes the QR code but 

leaves the camera active with a message saying "URL found: https://mysite.com?a=1&b=2". The same also happens if I try with urls in QR codes pointing to other sites. Is there a way around this?

    I can understand the security issues with opening a full url automatically; however, the IOS zxing app from Romain Pechayre does work as I need it to. I've experimented with zxing://scan links (as for the IOS scanner), using {RAWCODE} rather than {CODE}, and trying to use a custom search url of "%s". I'm testing with version 4.4.1 of Barcode Scanner, on Gingerbread 2.3.6.

    regards, P.

[Sean Owen]

In the URL you show, you have not actually put in a return URL! that's why.

[Peter Gray]

Hi Sean, I know - it's done that way because the QR codes each contain a full URL, rather than just the parameters.

[Sean Owen]

Oh you just mean you want it to open automatically? No it won't do that.

[Peter Gray]

   Can you confirm that it's by design rather than error? I can work around it by submitting the full URL as a parameter, then double-decoding it server-side, but it's a little inelegant. Thanks for the speedy responses - and for zxing in general; it's been excellent for rapid prototyping for me.

[Sean Owen]

It's by design, yes. I don't think anything on your server side would change that though, so I'm not sure i'm understanding.

[Peter Gray]

OK, my workaround functions as needed. If anyone else has the same problem, I addressed it in php as follows:

1. Replaced the link to trigger zxing Barcode Scanner with:

$zxing_url = "http://zxing.appspot.com/scan?ret=" . urlencode("http://mysite.com/targetpage.php?url={CODE}");

2. Added the following to the top of targetpage.php:

if (isset($_GET['url'])) {
  $url_data = parse_url($_GET['url']);
  parse_str($url_data['query'], $params);
  $_GET = array_merge($_GET, $params);
}

Please note that the above does not provide any data validation. However, this approach does allow the QR codes to work with other QR readers, if a little less elegantly than with zxing.

On Monday, September 30, 2013 5:48:52 PM UTC+2, Peter Gray wrote: