# URI.encode single parameter **URL:** \ **Category:** Help & Support\ **Created:** [January 1, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/uri-encode-single-parameter/1574 "2020-01-01T17:40:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.crystal-lang.org/rogerdpack/32/117_2.png) [@rogerdpack](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/uri-encode-single-parameter/1574/1 "2020-01-01T17:40:55Z")
Hello. I was attempting to use the new `URI.encode` method. I used to be able to call this: `URI.escape("some string", true)` but replacing with `URI.encode("some string", true)` I get this: ```auto URI.encode("peter + paul", true) In test2.cr:4:5 4 | URI.encode("peter + paul", true) ^----- Error: no overload matches 'URI.encode' with types String, Bool Overloads are: - URI.encode(string : String, io : IO, *, space_to_plus : Bool = false) - URI.encode(string : String, *, space_to_plus : Bool = false) - URI.encode(string : String, io : IO, space_to_plus : Bool = false, &block) ``` but this works: `URI.encode("peter + paul", space_to_plus: true) # => "peter+%2B+paul"` Am I missing something fundamental here? Should it be callable with only two parameters? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Blacksmoke16](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.crystal-lang.org/blacksmoke16/32/1241_2.png) [@Blacksmoke16](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/u/Blacksmoke16)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/uri-encode-single-parameter/1574/2 "2020-01-01T17:55:06Z")
If you look at the overloads, the `*` means that any arguments after it must be named arguments; hence why your first example doesn’t work while the second does. See [https://crystal-lang.org/reference/syntax\_and\_semantics/default\_values\_named\_arguments\_splats\_tuples\_and\_overloading.html#how-call-arguments-are-matched-to-method-arguments](https://crystal-lang.org/reference/syntax_and_semantics/default_values_named_arguments_splats_tuples_and_overloading.html#how-call-arguments-are-matched-to-method-arguments). ---
**Author:** ![straight-shoota](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.crystal-lang.org/straight-shoota/32/36_2.png) [@straight-shoota](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/u/straight-shoota)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://forum.crystal-lang.org/t/uri-encode-single-parameter/1574/3 "2020-01-01T22:34:10Z")
When these methods were refactored and renamed in [#7997](https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/7997), `space_to_plus` became a named-only argument. This is intended to better express the intention at the call site: When reading `URI.encode(string, true)`, the meaning of `true` argument is not obvious. Instead, the reader might wonder why such a method needs a configuration argument at all. Requiring to pass it as a named argument called `space_to_plus` makes its purpose clear. Since renaming the method broke the API anyway, it was a good opportunity to improve the configuration argument as well.