Pass query string or hash values via URL to form fields

[jeshb]

I have a client that will send customers to a FP Links GURL through an email link. The link carries a query string (http://[gurl address]?id=12345) so that when they land on the page I can parse the id # from the URL with Javascript and populate a hidden field that identifies the responder. When the user submits the form, the ID would be carried to the reports where the client can see who responded how.

I would normally use a PURL for this, but the data comes in ones and twos everyday on an ongoing basis. It's too much overhead to update a list and generate PURLs everyday. When a query string is attached to a URL my client controls, I only have the initial setup of the landing page—nothing like an every day kind of thing.

So what I find when I attach a query string to the GURL address and send the browser to it is (weirdly) a login screen to my instance of FP Links. That seems like a bug.

I also tried using a hash in the URL, like http://[gurl address]#id-12345. The redirect (forwarding) of the GURL drops the hash completely. The way FP links is setup denies this kind of access. The user clicks or types in an address that's pretty, but the server redirects to some crazy long URL. If that redirect didn't happen, the hash would stick—and work.

So my question is, am I missing something? Is there a way to pass a value to the landing page via URL? Also, knowing what my situation is, anyone have a better solution?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. I tried several times to post my problem to a related, existing thread, without success:
http://forums.pti.com/showthread.php?t=1313

[jeshb]

Email response from developer:

Its not going to work with the query string or a hash I dont believe. Or if he's saying the hash isn't breaking then there might be a way.

One way I can think of is if he knows the unique id, make this a part of his list called. The values can be something like _85409. Then generate the purls using 2 fields.

Would end up with a link like

http://new-acct.myfirstcountybank.com/GeneralURL_85409

Not so pretty but then he can use javascript to parse the final string and pull back the unique id this way.

[jeshb]

We're including a unique ID in the link from a database outside of FP Links. In other words, the client has a database with a unique ID for each recipient already available. I'm trying to avoid using the pURL generator in FP Links because it adds an inconvenient step to the client's process (it would include my time).

The hash doesn't work and neither does a query string in the URL. It's because of the URL forwarding.

So, I'd like to know if anyone can either think of a way to take a value from the URL and fill a hidden field in the FP Links form, OR a different, creative solution for the ultimate goal: identifying individuals between my client's own database and the reports in FP Links without handing over access to the FP Links lists and pURL generation to my client AND avoiding my involvement in the process.

Thanks in advance for the help!