user8580: I can't select Beer, Wine & Spirits SE from the input field on https://data.stackexchange.com/.
The placeholder is "search by name or url" but:

if I start typing https://alcohol.stackexchange.com or alcohol.stackexchange.com no option can be selected,
if I type Beer... I can then select Beer, Wine & Spirits Stack Exchange but the url https://data.stackexchange.com/beer,%20wine%20&%20spirits%20stack%20exchange/query/new gives me a server error beginning with:


Server Error in '/' Application.
Runtime Error
Description: An application error occurred on the server...


if try experimenting/editing the above url with - e.g. - %2C in place of , or other, I always get a 404.

Is there something wrong serverside or am I neglecting something? The Joomla! one is another beta SE site but it does not show the same problem, obviously not depending on the web browser I use.
Thank you!

user1095: The problem is the & in the name of the site. The actual error thrown is:

A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&).

Here is my local reproduction of the error:

The easiest fix for now to change the record for alcohol.se in Sites table as found the Data.StackExchange database. I don't fancy fiddling with webserver settings
Particularly I propose to change the Name column to Beer, Wine and Spirits Stack Exchange but keep the Longname column with the &. That change will still show the site name as we are used to, even in the site switcher:

while it uses the value from the Name column to construct the url when you click that item. 
A quick inspection didn't reveal any other serious mishaps with this change in place.
Now we need to bribe someone with database access to execute this query on Data.StackExchange:
update sites 
set name = 'Beer, Wine and Spirits Stack Exchange'
where Id = 224 -- oh I hope these ids are stable ... please let them be 

update sites 
set name = 'Beer, Wine and Spirits Meta Stack Exchange'
where Id = 225 -- oh I hope these ids are stable ... please let them be 


8580: <p>I can't select Beer, Wine &amp; Spirits SE from the input field on <a href="https://data.stackexchange.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://data.stackexchange.com/</a>.</p>

<p>The placeholder is "search by name or url" but:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>if I start typing <code>https://alcohol.stackexchange.com</code> or <code>alcohol.stackexchange.com</code> no option can be selected,</p></li>
<li><p>if I type <code>Beer...</code> I can then select <code>Beer, Wine &amp; Spirits Stack Exchange</code> but the url <a href="https://data.stackexchange.com/beer,%20wine%20&amp;%20spirits%20stack%20exchange/query/new" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://data.stackexchange.com/beer,%20wine%20&amp;%20spirits%20stack%20exchange/query/new</a> gives me a server error beginning with:</p></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>Server Error in '/' Application.</p>
  
  <p>Runtime Error</p>
  
  <p>Description: An application error occurred on the server...</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li>if try experimenting/editing the above url with - e.g. - <code>%2C</code> in place of <code>,</code> or other, I always get a 404.</li>
</ul>

<p>Is there something wrong serverside or am I neglecting something? The Joomla! one is another <strong>beta</strong> SE site but it does not show the same problem, obviously not depending on the web browser I use.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>
 1095: <p>The problem is the &amp; in the name of the site. The actual error thrown is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&amp;).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Here is my local reproduction of the error:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/PRsbe.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/PRsbe.png" alt="error due to &amp;"></a></p>

<p>The easiest fix for now to change the record for alcohol.se in Sites table as found the Data.StackExchange database. I don't fancy fiddling with <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5967103/a-potentially-dangerous-request-path-value-was-detected-from-the-client">webserver settings</a></p>

<p>Particularly I propose to change the Name column to <code>Beer, Wine and Spirits Stack Exchange</code> but keep the Longname column with the <code>&amp;</code>. That change will still show the site name as we are used to, even in the site switcher:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/OJnK4.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/OJnK4.png" alt="site switcher"></a></p>

<p>while it uses the value from the <code>Name</code> column to construct the url when you click that item. </p>

<p>A quick inspection didn't reveal any other serious mishaps with this change in place.</p>

<p>Now we need to bribe <a href="https://meta.stackexchange.com/users/164200/taryn">someone</a> with database access to execute this query on Data.StackExchange:</p>



<pre><code>update sites 
set name = 'Beer, Wine and Spirits Stack Exchange'
where Id = 224 -- oh I hope these ids are stable ... please let them be 

update sites 
set name = 'Beer, Wine and Spirits Meta Stack Exchange'
where Id = 225 -- oh I hope these ids are stable ... please let them be 
</code></pre>
