Paypal IPN doesn't send order details (sometimes)

**petek** · 7 Oct 2010, 09:36 AM

Using the latest 1.3.9g includes/modules/paypal.php file. I've recently re-enabled Paypal IPN (I last used it a year ago when it worked fine) and now I find that some orders are not sent back to the store so although I get Paypal's confirmation of the order amount, I don't know what the client ordered ! This happened twice yesterday whilst on another order, everything worked fine. I've asked Paypal support to look into this as it could be a problem at their end. Has anyone here encountered a similar problem ?

Edit : I've just noticed that for the two orders where there is a problem, the caddy containing the order has not been emptied. What could be causing this ?

**melena** · 7 Oct 2010, 02:44 PM

I'm having the same problem! any help from paypal? Last time I contacted them they didn't even bother to reply.

**petek** · 7 Oct 2010, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by melena

I'm having the same problem! any help from paypal? Last time I contacted them they didn't even bother to reply.

Nope, no reply yet.

**DrByte** · 7 Oct 2010, 06:03 PM

The problem with using the "PayPal IPN" module is that you're invoking OLD TECHNOLOGY which requires pristine communications between PayPal's server and *your* server. And, since that module relies ENTIRELY on that background communications to happen perfectly. Firewalls can break it, misconfigured rewrite-rules can break it. Wrong configurations in your PayPal account can break it. TONS of things can break it.

That's why you should use Express Checkout *instead*. It completes the transaction directly with Paypal while the customer is active on your site, and is *not* crippled if you have any background communications quirks. PayPal Express Checkout is by its very nature way more reliable. Use it instead.

And, when you make the switch, click "Remove" on your PayPal-IPN module so that it's NOT used. Otherwise you don't solve the problem and you create confusion for your customers due to multiple paypal choices.

**melena** · 8 Oct 2010, 04:41 PM

Thanks Dr Byte! that worked!

**petek** · 11 Oct 2010, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by DrByte

The problem with using the "PayPal IPN" module is that you're invoking OLD TECHNOLOGY which requires pristine communications between PayPal's server and *your* server. And, since that module relies ENTIRELY on that background communications to happen perfectly. Firewalls can break it, misconfigured rewrite-rules can break it. Wrong configurations in your PayPal account can break it. TONS of things can break it.

That's why you should use Express Checkout *instead*. It completes the transaction directly with Paypal while the customer is active on your site, and is *not* crippled if you have any background communications quirks. PayPal Express Checkout is by its very nature way more reliable. Use it instead.

And, when you make the switch, click "Remove" on your PayPal-IPN module so that it's NOT used. Otherwise you don't solve the problem and you create confusion for your customers due to multiple paypal choices.

Thanks. Which php file does Express Checkout use - modules/payment/paypal.php ?

**DrByte** · 11 Oct 2010, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by petek

Thanks. Which php file does Express Checkout use - modules/payment/paypal.php ?

No. It uses several, but not that one.
Why do you ask?

**petek** · 11 Oct 2010, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by DrByte

No. It uses several, but not that one.
Why do you ask?

Because I've amended paypal.php so that only 30% of orders exceeding 200 Euros in total are sent to Paypal. The rest I ask customers to settle when the goods are ready to be sent, usually 6 weeks later. Naturally, I'd like to do the same for Express Checkout.