Problems with Austpost Module by Gerard Serna

G'day,

I'm suddenly getting the messages:

Quote:

---

AusPOST Express Post Parcel (ERROR: The delivery rate for this option cannot be determined at this time
If you prefer to use this option as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.)

AusPOST Parcel Post (ERROR: The delivery rate for this option cannot be determined at this time
If you prefer to use this option as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.)

---

from the Australia Post Module by Gerard Serna.

I'm still developing the web site I'm using the Australia Post module on and haven't gone live as yet. About four weeks ago when I last tried a trial purchase from the site everything was working fine.

Then when I went back to try another trial purchase yesterday, suddenly it's not working.

All I can think of is that maybe the module isn't able to communite with Australia Post anymore. However, if this was the case I would have expected quite a few others would have reported the problem by now.

Does anyone have any ideas as to where to look for a solution?

Best Regards, Lloyd Borrett.

If you know the IP or url of the AustPost server try to ping it first and maybe a traceroute.

Verify that if is reachable

G'day,

It looks like this problem may be as a result of a change at Australia Post.

We haven't assigned weights to any of our products. Passing a weight value of 0 to the Australia Post Delivery Rate Calculator worked previously, but now appears not to work.

Best Regards, Lloyd Borrett.

Same problem with me. I have had one instance working for over a year and all of a sudden I get the following error when using AusPOST Parcel Post:

ERROR: The delivery rate for this option cannot be determined at this time
If you prefer to use this option as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.

I too believe there must have been a change at Australia Post.

Hi,

I'm new to Zencart and just setting up a new shop... downloaded the aust post module and I am experiencing exactly the same error too. Have tried various weights.

Has anyone figured this out yet?

G'day,

I fixed the problem for my setup by changing from:

Code:

---

$sweight = $shipping_weight*1000;

---

to...

Code:

---


$sweight = $shipping_weight*1000;
if ($sweight < 1) {
 $sweight = 300;
}

---

in my various Australia Post module files.

In other words, if the order has no weight, set it to 300 grams.

Best Regards, Lloyd Borrett.

Hi,

I'm getting the same error but it must be for a different reason as it does not matter what the weight is set to for me. Have tried many different product weights with no luck. Still get "ERROR: The delivery rate for this option cannot be determined at this time"

Dan.

G'day Dan,

Maybe it a different restriction kicking in. I notice for example, that the Australia Post Delivery Rate Calculator also has limits on the max and min dimensions of items. There may be other such restrictions that aren't being checked by the Australia Post shipping module.

Best Regards, Lloyd Borrett.

Hi Llyod,

I'm actually starting to think it may be something to do with my hosting provider? I had all the aust post module settings left the way they were after installation but I am currently playing around with all the settings (insurance, dimensions etc) but still with no luck.

Other than this forum (which is great!) can't find much more info on the net except similar problems with other carts/modules where they would not work properly if the hosting server had fopen disabled for example. I don't really know anything about PHP but do you think it could be a server restriction?

Dan.

Hi Dan,
I had a problem getting it going initially because of fopen restrictions on my server. I used cURL to fix it.

I posted a complete (modified) auspost.php here:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=128

On another note, my shops are still broken. I managed to get in touch with someone from Australia Post who knew what they were talking about (took a while...) and it would seem that there have been no changes to the script. I can access ratecalc.php through a browser query, feed it variables and it works.

So the statement, "No, we haven't been messing with your webserver lately", must be untrue.

The plot thickens for Inspector Slobadog...

Hey thanks heaps for the cURL version! Thats definately got me one step further now as I am no longer getting the "URL file access disabled on server" error in the error_log.

But unfortunately for me too it still is not working.... I'm still thinking hosting server prob but I really don't know enough to troubleshoot the prob - just seems to be working for some and not others?

You probably already know but here is the error I now get in my error_log just in case it can help!

[24-Jan-2007 21:54:48] PHP Warning: file(http://drc.edeliver.com.au/ratecalc....0&Quantity=1): failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/houseof/public_html/shop/includes/modules/shipping/auspost.php on line 84
[24-Jan-2007 21:54:48] PHP Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/houseof/public_html/shop/includes/modules/shipping/auspost.php on line 85

If you find a fix I'd love to know!

Dan.

Well after much stuffing around I found a solution for now. It seems that for some reason my nameserver all-of-a-sudden cannot resolve the hostname http://drc.edeliver.com.au/. Instead I substituted http://155.144.24.25/ and it's good to go once more.

Dan, I was getting those errors before I discovered the resolution problem. Give it a crack, it may just work for you too. Be aware that if they change the IP then it will break. Unlikely, but possible.

Happy Slobadog
(c:

I am only having issues with the Airmail and economy air ones... seamail i don't use, but with the rest are ok. i;ve already set the zoning to international only for those..... any clues guys?

thanks in advance

Having the same problem here, customer alerted me to it.

I tried changing the url to http://155.144.24.25/, but it is still not working. Don't know where to go from here???

guys i also have the problem and can not find a dix any where,

i have tried some of the ones listed above but still no luck

G'day fellas,

I'm getting exactly the same error wheras the other day it was fine. I've checked all the forums here and then double checked all my settings. I have Product weight = 1kg, max shipping weight = 20kg, modules are "on", etc. no matter what i try i get the below error::ohmy:

Any help grandly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.

AusPOST International Parcel Post - AIR
The delivery rate for this option cannot be determined at this time
If you prefer to use this option as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.

AP must have changed something. I have just gone and installed table rates and zone rates. Quick fix, but the only other available until we can find out what AP have changed.

AustPost Austalia Post Economy Air is NO LONGER SUPPORTED by Australia Post due to increase in fuel prices. Therefore that particular module throws an error when you do the calculations. Just disable it from your Admin menu.

Gerard :smile:

seems to be working today for me guys.

i had version 3.01 moved to 3.02 and it started working.

Yes isnt it wonderful to see it workin' again!! Unfortunately however mine is Yes doing a calculation error (using Ver1.3.7). I have 2 kgs going to United Kingdom which should be $57.00 but it gives me a price of $107.4. This is the exact price for sending 5kgs to the United Kingdom!! (i have no handling fees or anything else and no tax applied.) Could anyone tell me if their calcs are correct today and if so any ideas on what I could be doing wrong?
Thanks muchly in advance.
Arpeggio.

Ahh! Found it!! In the Config/ "Shipping/ Packaging" / Package Tare Small to medium setting. Just changed it to "0:0" to confirm and calc. is as per the one on Aussie Post's website. Sorry guys false alarm. Yes indeed all is working well. arigato.

My shop has just started having the same problem but in the standard parcel post part. My customers get the same error the others have been getting. I tried changing the IP address but that didn't work and all my items have weights on them.

AusPOST Parcel Post (ERROR: The delivery rate for this option cannot be determined at this time
If you prefer to use this option as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.)

Any ideas?

Thanks

Graham
www.strike-it.com.au

I had the problem on Sunday night. Then Monday it was perfectly fine (as you can see from my post) and now it doesnt work tonight(Tuesday)!! I dunno mate but previous posts on this thread suggested something that Australia post is doin'. i did a little layman's test, who knows if it means anything, but i put the address from my auspostair.php file into my browser , http://drc.edeliver.com.au/ratecalc.asp and it returned the following:

"charge=0.00 days=0 err_msg=Quantity not supplied"

because i put no values in. of course it doesn't mean that AusPost's side is not working but it does mean it is connecting i suppose. i dunno! :cry:Maybe someone who knows about this stuff can put some values in and try the browser way. It could show that infact Aust post is guilty or some unforseen bug in the module itself. ( i dont know how this could be because nothing changed on my computer, code, weights, item bought, not anything). I'll see if i can send AusPost an email and to ask them.

It was working fine yesterday (Monday) but went down again last night. I have the Parcel Post back up this morning, but Express Post is not coming up. Very frustrating. What I did to work around this is set up table rates and switch them on when the AP modules goes down. I am guessing that AP are playing with the script at night and this is what is causing the problem.

Yes, you could be right. right now wednesday (2;18pm shanghai time) so 4;18pm Melbourne time and it's working! last night I sent them an email so i'm waiting on they're reply. Interesting that you mention your overcome this potentially expensive problem Ginar. Switching over to ya table generated module. Good stuff! Can i ask how you make it switch over? where and what do you do to make this happen? thks in advance. arpeggio.

In your payment modules you will see Table rates and you need to install this module and then enter the rates in manually, this is what I did:
Table Rate

Enable Table Method
True

Shipping Table
.250:5.50,.500:7.50,1:9.50,2:16.00,3:26.00,4:30.00,5:35.50,6:42.00,7:50.00,8:55. 00,9:60.00,10:65.00

Table Method
weight

Handling Fee
1.25

Tax Class
GST

Tax Basis
Shipping

Shipping Zone
Australian Zones

Sort Order
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Then install zone rates for your international postage, and this is what I did:
(did this late the other night and need to fine tune the rates and weights, but it will do until I get a chance)

Zone Based Rates

Enable Zones Method
True

Calculation Method
Weight

Tax Class
--none--

Tax Basis
Shipping

Sort Order
1

Zone 1 Countries
NZ

Zone 1 Shipping Table
1:16.00,1.5:22.50,2:29.00,3:35.50:4,42.10,5:48.80

Zone 1 Handling Fee
2.00

Zone 2 Countries


Zone 2 Shipping Table


Zone 2 Handling Fee
0

Zone 3 Countries
US,CA,UK,AE,SA,DM,DK,AR,BE,BR,CK,CY,FJ,FI,FR,DE,GR,HK,IS,IE,IM,IT,JO,KZ,KW,MV,MT ,MX,NL,NO,PL,PT,SG,ZA,SE,CH,TH,TO,GB,

Zone 3 Shipping Table
.250:9.75, .500:16.50,1:30.00,1.5:43.50,2:57.00,3:73.80,4:90.60,5:107.40

Zone 3 Handling Fee
3.00
Zen Cart:: the art of e-commerce
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the zone rates I selected the countries we sell to most commonly to cover myself until the AP module is up and running.

On another note, today I only have the Parcel Post side working, no Express Post or Airmail. I currently reinstalling the AP module files from scratch to see if that works and will post the result.

I am at a total loss as to how to fix this problem, when I put this in the browser, it works:

http://drc.edeliver.com.au/ratecalc....100&Quantity=3
(international - read the address bar)
or

http://drc.edeliver.com.au/ratecalc....100&Quantity=3
(Australia Express- read the address bar)

or

http://drc.edeliver.com.au/ratecalc....100&Quantity=3
(Australia Parcel Post - read the address bar)


why are our AP modules not working.

I have reinstalled the files, checked the DB for errors, down a repair table, don'w know what to do next.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for your 2nd last post Ginar. I'll study it later when i get 'ome.
About your last post; What do you mean "it worked"??
Did you actually put in values and get a "cost of sending a package" in return?
If so please tell me how to do it and i'll try too and give you feedback. (or maybe i can work it out using the http://drc.edeliver.com.au/ info site i just discovered!!

If it's not Aust Post what can change on our system even if the values we send to Austpost are constants (fixed values)?

Also, I have not yet received a reply from Aust Post and its nearly 5pm in Aust now so maybe tomo. but i'll resend tonight too. Have you tried calling Aust Post? General enquiries: 13 13 18. (There doesn't seem to be any tel. no at the drc site above.) Good luck, talk soon.

I have found a simple solution that has finally worked for me. I have been struggling with this issue for a couple of weeks now, until i looked up the auspost "postage assessment calculator".

http://www1.auspost.com.au/pac/aus_parcel.asp

Auspost only calculates parcels with a maximum weight of 20kilos (20000 grams). (packages of over 20kgs are calculated as multiple packages). Realising this, I simply went into the admin area of my online store, went to "configuration", then to "Shipping/Packaging"
and then edited the section "Enter the Maximum Package Weight you will ship". I simply changed the the value from the default "100" to 20.

I have tested this with thousands of kilos nad all is working well now.

Hope this helps..