Complicated Shipping Methods

[schoolboy]

Yes... can be done by cloning ZoneTable module. I have done this on numerous occasions with UK Royal Mail (which is a nightmare otherwise).

Thing to remember for ZONETABLES.

BEFORE YOU INSTALL this module and its clones, your ZONE DEFINITIONS must be properly set up FIRST or you will get php errors.

See my posts under this thread: http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showth...ne+Definitions

CEON's Advanced Shipper is unquestionalby the answer to ALL shipping setup challenges, and like JSWEB, I would recommend this route if you want a quick, hassle-free solution. The developer of this mod put literally hundreds of hours into its development, and it is quite simply a brilliant one-size-fits-all solution. In my opinion, the $75 is a mere snip.

However, what you are after CAN be achieved by cloning the zonetables module... but set up your zone definitions FIRST... The module's self-configuration relies on a COUNT of the number of zone definitions. if you add more zone definitions AFTER installing the module(s) the COUNT that the self-configurator establishes on installation will not match the actual count, and the module(s) will need to be uninstalled and then re-installed to get this COUNT integer correct.

[TerranRich]

Does the ZoneTables mod allow for state-specific zones? For example, different shipping to Alaska/Hawaii than to the rest of the U.S.

[TerranRich]

Never mind, I missed the fact that you have to create Zone Definitions. Of course, a definition that includes every country other than the U.S. required some clever PHP scripting on my part to craft MySQL queries that selected all zones outside of the U.S., then inserted them into zones_to_geo_zones, etc.

Now that the Zone Definitons are created, I'm moving on to cloning the Zone Table modules. Since no shipping method (e.g. Ground, Next Day, 2-Day Air) can be found in more than one zone, I'm assuming I should create a Zone Table clone for each zone/method combination (8 total): ZoneTableUSGround, ZoneTableAKHI2Day, ZoneTableIntl12Day, and so forth. Then, each ZoneTable___ module will only utilize one zone, and use a Table Rate based on pricing.

This seems to solve my problem! Thanks schoolboy and JSWeb for all your help!!

[schoolboy]

Never mind, I missed the fact that you have to create Zone Definitions. Of course, a definition that includes every country other than the U.S. required some clever PHP scripting on my part to craft MySQL queries that selected all zones outside of the U.S., then inserted them into zones_to_geo_zones, etc.

Doing it this way is possible (I've done it a few times), but it's risky, because you can unintentionally make mistakes. Use the admin console locations / taxes interface to thoroughly inspect your work, and this will give you an orderly display of the choices and settings you have done through phpMyAdmin

Now that the Zone Definitons are created, I'm moving on to cloning the Zone Table modules. Since no shipping method (e.g. Ground, Next Day, 2-Day Air) can be found in more than one zone, I'm assuming I should create a Zone Table clone for each zone/method combination (8 total): ZoneTableUSGround, ZoneTableAKHI2Day, ZoneTableIntl12Day, and so forth. Then, each ZoneTable___ module will only utilize one zone, and use a Table Rate based on pricing.

Essentially, yes... this is the right track.

Using ZONETABLES clones, the differential between each module is the shipping SERVICE being offered.

So you would set up one clone as GROUND, another clone as 2 DAY, another clone as INTL 2 DAY... etc.

Then it's just a case of inserting the applicable RATE(s) for each of the DEFINED zones you have set up.