How can URL encoding be utilized to prevent issues with special characters in file paths?

Special characters in file paths can cause issues when accessing or manipulating files in a web application. URL encoding can be utilized to convert special characters into a format that can be safely included in a URL. This ensures that the file path is correctly interpreted by the server and prevents any potential errors.

$file_path = "/path/to/file with special characters.txt";
$encoded_file_path = urlencode($file_path);

// Use the encoded file path in your code
// For example, to open the file:
$file_handle = fopen($encoded_file_path, "r");