Sai A Sai A
Updated date May 29, 2023
In this blog, we will discuss various methods to convert HTML decoded strings to normal strings in C#. It covers the usage of HttpUtility.HtmlDecode(), WebUtility.HtmlDecode(), Regex.Unescape(), and HtmlAgilityPack library's HtmlEntity.DeEntitize() methods, along with code snippets and outputs.

Introduction:

HTML decoding is the process of converting HTML entities into their corresponding characters. This is a very useful technique when working with web applications, especially when parsing data from external sources. In C#, there are multiple ways to perform HTML decoding on a given string. In this blog, we will discuss various methods to convert HTML-decoded strings to normal strings in C#.

Method 1: Using HttpUtility.HtmlDecode()

The HttpUtility class in C# provides a method named HtmlDecode() which can be used to decode an HTML encoded string. The following code snippet demonstrates the usage of HtmlDecode() method:

string encodedString = "Hello & World";
string decodedString = HttpUtility.HtmlDecode(encodedString);
Console.WriteLine(decodedString);

Output:

Hello & World

In the above code snippet, we first define an encoded string "Hello & World". We then call the HtmlDecode() method of HttpUtility class and pass the encoded string as a parameter to the method. The method returns the decoded string which is then printed on the console.

Method 2: Using WebUtility.HtmlDecode()

The WebUtility class in C# also provides a method named HtmlDecode() which can be used to decode an HTML-encoded string. The following code snippet demonstrates the usage of HtmlDecode() method:

string encodedString = "Hello & World";
string decodedString = WebUtility.HtmlDecode(encodedString);
Console.WriteLine(decodedString);

Output:

Hello & World

In the above code snippet, we first define an encoded string "Hello & World". We then call the HtmlDecode() method of WebUtility class and pass the encoded string as a parameter to the method. The method returns the decoded string which is then printed on the console.

Method 3: Using Regex.Unescape()

The Regex.Unescape() method in C# can also be used to decode HTML-encoded strings. The following code snippet demonstrates the usage of Regex.Unescape() method:

string encodedString = "Hello & World";
string decodedString = Regex.Unescape(encodedString);
Console.WriteLine(decodedString);

Output:

Hello & World

In the above code snippet, we first define an encoded string "Hello & World". We then call the Unescape() method of Regex class and pass the encoded string as a parameter to the method. The method returns the decoded string which is then printed on the console.

Method 4: Using HtmlAgilityPack

The HtmlAgilityPack is a popular C# library that provides methods to parse and manipulate HTML documents. The library also provides a method named HtmlEntity.DeEntitize() which can be used to decode HTML-encoded strings. The following code snippet demonstrates the usage of HtmlEntity.DeEntitize() method:

string encodedString = "Hello & World";
string decodedString = HtmlEntity.DeEntitize(encodedString);
Console.WriteLine(decodedString);

Output:

Hello & World

In the above code snippet, we first define an encoded string "Hello & World". We then call the DeEntitize() method of HtmlEntity class and pass the encoded string as a parameter to the method. The method returns the decoded string which is then printed on the console.

Conclusion:

In this blog, we discussed various methods to convert HTML-decoded strings to normal strings in C#. We first discussed the usage of HttpUtility.HtmlDecode() and WebUtility.HtmlDecode() methods. We then discussed the usage of Regex.Unescape() method. Finally, we discussed the usage of HtmlAgilityPack libraries HtmlEntity.DeEntitize() method. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the developer to choose the appropriate method based on the specific requirements of their project.

Overall, HTML decoding is a crucial aspect of web application development, as it allows for the proper handling of data from external sources. By using one of the methods discussed in this blog, developers can easily convert HTML-encoded strings to their corresponding characters and process them accordingly.

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