Paypal IPN not working after upgrading PHP version

[mattf]

Hi I recently upgraded to PHP 5.3.2 and now Paypal IPN is no longer working. When somebody places an order, the IPN url is called but the order is not added. If I login to Paypal and resent the IPN, then the order is aded without issue. I can also get the raw data Paypal has posted, repost it using curl and the order also gets added into the system.

I have enabled the logging and on the first IPN call, the log stops at Breakpoint: 5 - Transaction type (txn_type) = unique. If I resend the IPN call then the next log carries on past breakpoint 5 showing the new order row being created.

I have added some extra logging trying to track down the issue. The scipt stops within ipn_main_handler.php on the line

$shipping_modules = new shipping($_SESSION['shipping']);

.

If I look at the shipping module, it basically initialises any modules that are enabled. The only shipping module I have is flat. So within the shipping module the execution stops at

$GLOBALS[$include_modules[$i]['class']] = new $include_modules[$i]['class'];

where class is flat. I can then dig into flat.php and there are no issues in the constructer function, it gets to the bottom without issue.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

[DrByte]

Using the PayPal IPN module is a step backwards, for reasons such as you're experiencing.
Switch to Express Checkout instead. Then your customers' orders will be saved immediately while they're still on-screen, instead of having to wait for the background communications to happen and then break due to something wrong on your site or between PayPal's servers and yours.

Further, maybe you're having PHP errors due to addon conflicts or missing/damaged files. Such errors should show up in debug files if you're using a current version of Zen Cart. ref: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=82

[mattf]

Thanks DrByte It's now using Paypal express checkout without any issues.