PLEASE I need a June 2010 steps to test express

[photoseller]

I'm pretty good at finding help, reading documentation, coding and especially testing. I've been doing that for 20+ years. But getting an answer to "What are the steps that will allow me testing of paypal express?" is proving to be difficult. (<-- an understatement)

I am readinf conflicting instructions here in the forum posts and in the FAQ/Wiki/tutorials. Add to that urls that actually dont get to the HOW TO. This is especially true for paypal as they are famous for the circular url referals and page not found routine.

SO, please, I know it gets tedious for you guys in the know to readdress the issues. But I assure you in this case a one page updated posting is needed.

I used paypals simulator for IPN - says all is good.
I tried zencarts ipncheck - that says OK.
But I still need to see what happens at a full check out without re-using my own real credit card.

I have signed up for a sandbox account.
I have entered in my SANDBOX API credentials into zencart.
I have tried BOTH sandbox and live settings in the admin-payments module.

I still get the 100022 or whatever that error code is........
PLEASE, no urls, just type or copy n paste the actual instructions.

What are the steps that will allow me testing of paypal express, from checkout to paypal submit to returning to zencart at my site?

Thanks again
Photoseller
3.9c instsalled, upgraded to D. using Zen Cherry template, IH2 and ezpop.

[kobra]

What are the steps that will allow me testing of paypal express, from checkout to paypal submit to returning to zencart at my site?

One must have/use a different PP account than the one setup on their cart
Make a purchase to validate function - - later refund it

Only use the "Live" server and settings

[schoolboy]

Kobra's right... Test using a REAL product and go through the full procedure.

I usually set up a test product with a price of 10 cents.

You can later do a refund (also a good thing to test) and there is no cost at PayPal for this.

[photoseller]

One must have/use a different PP account than the one setup on their cart
Make a purchase to validate function - - later refund it

Only use the "Live" server and settings

yes I am aware of that method. That would not be what I am asking for.

that would be using my credit card. I've done that. it worked but with flaws. As you should know paypal takes its sweet time in refunding the money. its NOT a 24 hour process. And there appears to be complications when I have a refunding pending and the same credit card is used in a subsequent purchase. The subsequenrt charge will not go through but staying in a pending state.

ALL OF THAT interfers with testing what needs to be tested. It is that way because it involves actual banks and banking rules.

HOW DO YOU TEST using the provided testing methods and paths is what I need clarification on. The method you describe has its limits and clouds the results. I need to go back to the real true test mode methods.

[schoolboy]

A quick search on PayPal for " sandbox " revealed THIS.

[photoseller]

A quick search on PayPal for " sandbox " revealed THIS.

Yes, AND?

Not only do I have that bookmarked already, I registered. AND I DOWNLOADED 3 pdfs. I even read through some of them. I did all that before posting here....they will find Osama before paypal actually produces the page with what I need to know.....

First rule not to ever forget - PAYPAL SUPPORT is among the worse in giving answers. they produce alot of pages - with many words. some of the words are even in bold. they are big words and importanting sounding words.

BUT THERE ARE NO DIRECT or even indirect answers. In this reguard Microsoft envies Paypal - its gift for producing gigs of useless pages.

The information I am seeking is simple. really it is. I just need the person who knows it to read this posting and then hope they are in the mood to post the answer.

WHAT CHANGES DO I MAKE TO MY ZENCART so that it will send to the sandbox without error?

I KNOW thats a 4 sentence answer. Paypal doesnt do 4 sentence answers. You are lucky if you even find a 4 paragraph answer.

School boy you are going to have to beleive me when I say I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH. I dont need a url to a cookbook for how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What I need is a reply that starts out with "step 1, take two slices of bread and place them on a plate....."

[photoseller]

I am hoping for help with the following problem. I wish to understand in greater detail what the following means:

<div class="messageStackError larger">
<img src="includes/templates/template_default/images/icons/error.gif" alt="Error" title=" Error " width="20" height="20" />
  We are sorry for the inconvenience. The PayPal account authentication settings are not yet set up, 
or the API security information is incorrect. We are unable to complete your transaction. 
Please notify the store owner so they can correct this problem. (10002) 
10002  Security error - Security header is not valid</div>

This results in the simple execution of pressing a button:
NOTE that x.com isnt actually in the code - I removed my website domain

<!-- ** BEGIN PAYPAL EXPRESS CHECKOUT ** -->
<div id="PPECbutton" class="buttonRow">
  <a href="https://www.X.com/store/ipn_main_handler.php?type=ec"><img src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_xpressCheckout.gif" alt="Click here to pay via PayPal Express Checkout" /></a>
</div>
<!-- ** END PAYPAL EXPRESS CHECKOUT ** -->

The first question is did this messageStackError come from zencart/my websites side ? or did this come from paypal's side?

SECOND QUESTION - where in the CODE and or znc_DB's can I find out what url of paypal's was that " ipn_main_handler.php?type=ec " heading to?

thanks. thats all I am asking about this error. I will restart my investigating once I have those two facts. withany luck I'll discover the reasons. Or I will post back with more questions. but for now - thats all I need to know.

thanks
Photoseller

[photoseller]

I *think* that if I can make sure the SANDBOX url in the code uses this url - I might get past this error.

https://api-3t.sandbox.paypal.com/nvp

I already have the API credentials for sandbox use and I have those filled into zencart. But I actually do not know what url is used when I select sandbox.

I beleive that if I use the above url as the api endpoint and I use SANDBOX CREDENTIALS - that sandbox mode will work.

so can one of you php gurus or zencart code masters tell me if the above url matches what sandbox mode uses now?

[TShooters]

Possible causes for the error you're experiencing here:

https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?c...#id0864GF00T4Y

Did you uninstall and reinstall your ZC PayPal payment module before switching your PayPal info to sandbox mode?

Note: It's usually recommended to test live, as PayPal sandbox testing is/was quite unreliable.

[DrByte]

I beleive that if I use the above url as the api endpoint and I use SANDBOX CREDENTIALS - that sandbox mode will work.

It already does that when you choose "sandbox" in the module settings.
You have to supply your sandbox API credentials to make it work though, which means replacing your live credentials with the sandbox credentials.

You'll save yourself all of these difficulties and the last few days' frustration by just doing tests with the live system.