UrlFetchApp.fetch with very long URLs

Question

New to Google Apps Script, trying to retrieve data from a URL with UrlFetchApp.fetch but the URL length is limited to 2kB per call (https://developers.google.com/apps-script/guides/services/quotas).

Thus, with a long URL I get the error Limit Exceeded: URLFetch URL Length..

Example:

var url = 'http://www.longurlmaker.com/go?id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
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url);

Is there any way I can get around this limit, maybe by using another library to make the GET request?

EDIT

Jack Brown's solution works well if I run the function from the script editor. In order to make the functionality accessible as a google-spreadsheets function, I used the following: Using the UrlShortener API in a custom Spreadsheet function

Answer 1

You can use Url Shortener API to create a short URL and pass it to URLFetchApp like so:

function shortenUrl() {
  var Lurl = 'http://www.longurlmaker.com/go?id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
  var url = UrlShortener.Url.insert({
   longUrl: Lurl 
  });
  Logger.log('Shortened URL is "%s".', url.id);
  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url.id);
  Logger.log(response)
}

Make sure you have selected URL shortener API under Resources>Advanced Google Services> URL shortener API v1 (set to on) and also enabled the same in developers console. For more details refer here

EDIT

Google shortener seems to have some issues with a certain type of URL. This is a more generalized solution. You can select different providers by modifying provider key in the payload below. More details can be found here

function shortenUrl(Lurl) {
  if(Lurl == undefined){
    var Lurl = 'http://www.longurlmaker.com/go?id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
    }
  var payload = {
    'apikey': 'your API Key', //Create a new Key here http://www.tiny-url.info/request_api_key.html
    'provider' : 'tinyurl_com',
    'format' : "text",
    'url' : Lurl}
  var options = {
    'method':'POST',
    'payload':payload
  }
  var url = "http://tiny-url.info/api/v1/create"
  var response =UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options)
  var turl = response.getContentText()
  Logger.log(turl)
  response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(turl)
  Logger.log(response)
}

Hope that helps!