v150 NO International quote after installing USPS v15 Ratev4 2013_0127 R2013_0729

Here is a good example of how you can mess up installing an upgrade. There are many post on this website with similar install problems, thinking I installed it just as the instructions said and it don't work. Then there are very few installs done correctly and have problems. So look at all of Ajeh's time I wasted that she could have been helping someone with real problems instead of the problem I created by taking shortcuts.

For the ones that don't know the USPS module only has 2 files to install, you could not ask for an install much simpler that this.

So here to the best of my memory the recap of how a Simple Module Install can escalate into a major problem with shopping cart shut down all together several hours along with much confusion on my part.

I did not want to shut down my shopping cart until late after most went to bed so after a long and tiring day I waited until around 2:00 am to start the 5 minute project. I first zipped up my working cart, just in case something goes wrong (this was about the only smart thing I did correctly). Not being mentally alert I loaded the files to be installed into FileZilla first opening up all folders in path to the file to be installed then opened the same folders where they were to be installed last. After opening last folder in path "Shipping" somehow unknowingly I double click on usps.php file. When you double-click on a file it will be loaded either up or down. Since I was on the destination side of FileZilla it was downloaded and overwrote the new file to be installed. Not realizing what I had done I now uploaded individually the files to their correct folders.

I ended up with one old file and one new file installed. This was compounded by the usps.php file being installed in "Includes/modules/My Temple t/shipping/" folder where it should have been due to a simple modification requirement for my shopping cart. I did not realize that the file had to be also installed in "Includes/modules/shipping/".

If the usps.php file is not installed in this folder then when you open "Admin>Modules>Shipping> USPS Shipping module is missing. After wasting hours of time I could not get USPS Shipping to show. Finally I unzip my working shopping cart in a test folder and replace the mess by reinstalled the shopping cart as it was before starting.

Next day I uploaded the unknowingly wrong files into my test shopping cart. So for some reason the Domestic quotes work and International did not. Resulting in thinking something was wrong with USPS server since they were having problems almost a week now or there was something wrong with the new USPS files. I called USPS Tech support and was told they knew about the International bug and all was related hoping to have fixed shortly. Finally Ajeh came to the rescue and I assume her first thoughts were how can anyone screw-up something so simple. Well you can follow the Posts and see it really can be done.

So here are some Rules to help eliminate installing modules wrong. This applies to any module you are installing.
1. Never try installing when you are tired.
2. UnZip your working files in a test folder leaving your working cart along. How many times has that been said.
3. When using a FTP always first open the destination file folder first then load the new file folder last that are to be uploaded. Will help prevent overwriting your new files to be installed.
4. If you have a "My Template" overrides folder change the usps.php file to be installed to usps.php_old. Change back after you have tested and found everything works OK.
5. Don't open all folders in the path and just install the usps.php file. Always install from the first folder (in this case includes) and let your FTP install all files in correct folders.
6. This may should be #2, don't take shortcuts even though a simple install.

To make a long story short first realize the module you are installing would not be released to be installed if it did not work. So after you install a module and it does not work then step back remove all files you installed and follow each step in detail not taking short cuts and then 99% of time your upgrade will work. If it still does not work most likely the error is coming from another 3rd party module you have installed.

Hope this helps someone.

NO International quote after installing USPS v15 Ratev4 2013_0127 R2013_0729_J5