Replacing # characters with luatex

Question

The minimal example below should replace all # characters with another symbol. This works well if I use \# to escape it, but the user should later be able to enter it directly, e.g. to enter hash tags.

I understand that # is a special character, but I'd like a solution without tinkering with character classes and patching macros (we need it # as special character at the same time to get the parameter value).

FYI: The overall goal of this is a package to create "Share on Twitter" links.

\documentclass{minimal}

\usepackage{luacode}

\newcommand{\Test}[1]{
    \luaexec{
        local x = string.gsub("#1", "\#", "+")
        tex.print(x)
    }
}

\begin{document}
\Test{With backslash: \#} % Yields "Wit backslash: +"

\Test{Without backslash: #} % Yields "Without backslash: + +"
\end{document}

Answer 1

You should be writing ## not \# in your macro:

\documentclass{minimal}

\usepackage{luacode}

\newcommand{\Test}[1]{
    \luaexec{
        local x = string.gsub("#1", "##", "+")
        tex.print(x)
    }
}

\begin{document}
\Test{With backslash: \#} % Throws an error as # is not processable in output

\Test{Without backslash: #} % 
\end{document}