title: cutting special chars in folder name when using GET
body: <p>I've been visiting stackoverflow.com for a long time and always found the solution to my problem. But this time it's different. That's why I'm posting my first question here.</p>
  
  <p>The situation looks like this: My website provides a directory explorer which allows users to download whole directory as a zip file. The problem is I end up with error when I want to download a dir containg special characters in it's name, i.e. 'c++'. I don't want to force users to NOT name their folders with those special chars, so I need a clue on this one. I noticed that the whole problem comes down to GET protocol. I use ajax POST for example to roll out the directory content, but for making a .zip file and downloading it I need GET:</p>
  
  <pre><code>var dir_clicked = $(e.target).attr('path'); //let's say it equals '/c++'
  window.location = 'myDownloadSite.php?directory_path='+dir_clicked;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I studied whole track of dir_clicked variable, step by step, and it seems that the variable in adress is sent correctly (I see the correct url in browser) but typing:</p>
  
  <pre><code>echo $_GET['directory_path']
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>in myDownloadSite.php prints</p>
  
  <pre><code>'/c'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>instead of</p>
  
  <pre><code>'/c++'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Why the GET protocol is cutting my pluses?</p>