FedEx Shipping Module with Zen Cart

[asiamarinehub]

Our problem as we described it to FedEx:

Hi, Friend,

We are currently trying to integrate FedEx shipping calculation into our ecommerce website which was developed using Zen Cart (version 1.3.7.1) shopping cart software

We installed a the zen cart FedEx Shipping Module (downloading here...http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?ma...roducts_id=367) for tabulating shipping costs and used the account number and meter number provided below.


While testing we got the following errors:

Data sent to Fedex for Rating: 0,"25"10,"510087208"498,"1198150"8,""9,"638852"117,"SG"17,"987654"50,"SG"75,"LBS "1116,"I"1401,"13.0"1529,"1"1415,"0.01"68,"SGD"440,"Y"1273,"01"1333,"2"99,""
Data returned from Fedex for Rating: 0,"125"2,"E520"3,"Common rating error (both Express and Ground)."99,""
Data sent to Fedex for Rating: 0,"25"10,"510087208"498,"1198150"8,""9,"638852"117,"SG"17,"987654"50,"SG"75,"LBS "1116,"I"1401,"13.0"1529,"1"1415,"0.01"68,"SGD"440,"Y"1273,"01"1333,"2"99,""
Data returned from Fedex for Rating: 0,"125"2,"E520"3,"Common rating error (both Express and Ground)."99,""


Could anyone from your side provide some insight as to what’s causing the above error message?


As an alternative to this third party module mentioned above, are there any other solutions you are aware of for zen cart ecommerce websites interested in providing FedEx Shipping as an option?

Thanks...
Asia Marine Hub Singapore

[Kim]

Where are you trying to send to and from?

[asiamarinehub]

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the reply, I was about to request the mods to delete this post so I can repost a new one because it was very confusing (cut and pasted from an actual email addressed to FedEx).

Anyway, to your question:

->Where are you trying to send to and from?

From the store's location (Singapore) to another test address in Singapore.

Just to clarify: we are using Merlin's FedEx shipping module.

[Merlinpa1969]

turn OFF the debug for a minute,

does it hang? make sure that you have cURL setup

[asiamarinehub]

Hi Tim,

The debug mode is already set to "false".

I'm pretty new to all this, so sorry if I may inadvertently ask stupid questions or seem to have done something dumb, but -

could I verify if the fact that I'm using a developer test account from http://www.fedex.com/us/developer/ has anything to do with the error messages being generated?

also, which server to use setting is set to: test . does this also have anything to do with it?

I also seem to read somewhere on the forum that cURL settings could/should be left alone, unless the website is hosted with godaddy - we are hosting with hostmonster.

Not sure what else I might have done wrong somewhere.

Appreciate any further help.

[Merlinpa1969]

Not all servers are compiled with cURL,
use teh production there is no sense to use the test,
make sure that you have a LIVE fedex account number,
the module will get its meter number the first time that you use it,

and if your seeing that junk at the top of the page then debug is still turned on in the fedex module


Tony

[Darla]

Today is Sept 4, 2010 Can anyone advise how to trouble shoot this problem?

I have installed both FedEx express and ground modules in my Zen Cart but a "$0" comes up through out the check out process for FexEx shipping charges and both modules have yellow dots. Can't get them to turn green. Can you advise?

Here's the overview. I'm running ZC v1.3.9b. Someone else helped me install FedEx mods so when it did not function I opened up the README and double checked all the changes. We did follow the README to install.

In Admin - Modules tab/shipping - both FedEx express and ground modules appear and are filled out exactly the same. I tried one sale and the meter number appeared in the meter field. Copied that over to the express module. Both are set to TRUE enabled. I'm not with GoDaddy. Shipping weights are specified for every product. Weight Units: LBS.

I even tried changing Order Total Modules / Shipping / ot_shipping / Free Shipping For Orders Over: $4,000.00 and Allow Free Shipping: false Maybe I should disable this item all together?

tpl_footer.php has been revised with replacement text.

Uploaded the includes/modules/shipping
Uploaded the included/languages/english/modules/shipping

Emailed [email protected] for help but the email address bounced. I'm at a loss as to what to triple check next. Any ideas?

[fedexguy]

I work for fedex and answer questions about xml and tagged input files that are sent to our backend servers. I am here to try to clear up some information that is being reported in these forums.

To answer the most common question, Yes, fedex is doing away with the old legacy api server, if you are pointing your software to https://gateway.fedex.com:443/GatewayDC then this server will be shut down approximately June 2012, although I don't want to be quoted on that because things can always change. However, If you have a meter that was generated on this server and authenticates using only a fedex account and meter number to connect, you will still be allowed to generate a meter number with the module that was certified for use on this server. Unless things change, i am still able to use our own api front end application to generate meters on this server. IT WILL STILL WORK IF THE MODULE IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY... i hope you all read that last part carefully.

The problem begins where if your meter is "fast routed" to transfer your transaction to our web services server, It will still calculate costs but might give back undesired results from what I have seen. I don't know the exact reason why the fedex programmers are fast routing meters to point to our web services app, the best reason I can think of would be so all the thousands of customers that are still using this authentication method will still have a working module come June 2012.

What we have been telling our customers since November 2007, although the programmers are the real persons responsible for developing the application is to start building new modules using our web services solution.

All the documentation and even sample code is available at fedex.com/developer. You dont need a fedex account to develop an application, you do need a fedex.com userid and password to agree to the terms and conditions which is free. Anyone can go in and obtain test credentials and point to a test server simply by changing their url from gatway.fedex.com to gatewaybeta.fedex.com in their wsdl file. It is set to test by default If you are NOT a programmer, please DONT try to implement the web services app yourself, hire someone to do it for you. You still have to have some programming ability to implement one of these modules.

Quick note, one easy way to tell if you are using a web services module and not a legacy application is by the authentication credentials.

If you connect using only a meter number and account number, then you are most likely using the old api module, if you are required to include a meter number, account number, key and password (not your fedex.com password) into your module, you are most likely connecting to our web services application server at https://gateway.fedex.com:443/web-services

I have not seen many free carts out there that offer a web services solution including Zencart. I am not a programmer but I would urge any knowledgable programmers to look into building a web services app that would work with zencart.

I hope this information has been helpful.

if anyone has any questions about FedEx, i will gladly respond given i have the time to do so, please, no programming questions, although I will be glad to look at xml or tagged input and output transactions either for api or web services applications.

I will not put my email in this forum, but if you respond with your info, i will be glad to try and get in touch with you.

Thanks for your time.

[BlindSide]

@fedexguy: Thanks for stepping up and offering those clarifications!

The fact that FedEx offers API access without any strings attached is news to me. When did that change occur?

Also does FedEx Legal still need to approve every installation that utilizes the FedEx API. Fedex used to be adamant that you couldn't use their API services on a live site without being vetted by their Legal dept first. Between the hurdles just getting the module developed and the legal challenges when installing, we've seen a lot of frustrated users.

[fedexguy]

I think they key here is not whether you can use the legacy module, the answer is, You cannot develop a new FedEx Legacy API module. All documentation for the old API module has been replaced by the web services application now available at fedex.com/us/developer. When developers call in and ask me for assistance and reveal that they are developing a module using tagged transactions, this automatically raises a red flag.

I then immediately assume that they are using outdated software which you can no longer develop into a working module if you don't already have a certified production meter and account that exists in that server database.

"THEY NO LONGER SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE MODULES AND URGE CUSTOMERS TO HAVE THEIR DEVELOPER IMPLEMENT A WEB SERVICES SOLUTION TO AVOID MANY OF THE ISSUES THEY ARE EXPERIENCING AT THIS TIME" EXISTING MODULES LIKE THE ONES PROVIDED ON THIS SITE ARE STILL OK TO USE IF YOU REALLY NEED ONE RIGHT NOW THOUGH THEY ARE NOT RECOMMENDED BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF UNDESIRED RESULTS.

They do support the web services api that has replaced the old legacy api documentation which was formerly available at fedex.com/developer. This documentation was replaced around November 2007.

Personally, when I ask the developer where they obtained the documentation they were using to code, they usually say they did an internet search and located it on another site, not the official FedEx website. The giveaway is usually that they are reading from the tagged API coding reference guide. If you are trying to develop an application with this reference, good luck, its not going to happen. You need to certify that software in order to use it once you have designed it and FedEx will not certify that type of software any longer.

With Web services, you can develop and implement any standard or advanced web service application free of charge, all you have to do is sign the EULA and make sure you agree to the terms and use of the software.

You can even create labels in test or production and will not be charged for domestic shipments unless you actually slap them on a package and have it delivered to its ultimate destination. Of course that will never happen with a test label anyway. You would call the support line 877.339.2774 "web services at prompt" to have that label and any other advance service certified to be able to use them in a production environment with production credentials.

You need a production meter to do this, the meter can be obtained at the same Developer Resource Center by clicking on Move to Production link. We then send the request up to our certification team via a case ticket. Once its in their hands, they communicate with the developer on how to proceed.

If you are using a third party application that is already approved for advanced services, all you do is provide the credentials and say i am using a third party CSP "Certified solutions provider" and provide the company and software name, once verified they will then turn on the advance service for you after they check the meter and make sure it was generated by that csp.

As far as all the legal stuff goes, all i know is you need to sign and return all the required documentation and agree to all the terms and conditions. I think you may be referring to a legal issue that arose when a customer took it upon himself to create a site that generated FedEx meter numbers for the legacy api. This is not allowed, that is why the meter registration request must be built into the application that was certified by FedEx.

(after re-reading your post about legal id like to add that when you develop code to work with FedEx, especially if you are planning on becoming a CSP, then I imagine you will need to go through a legal process, I do not know the details of that sort of implementation. I have seen CSP programs that have the web services application implemented and it takes a while for them to achieve this. I also know there is a waiting list for programs who wish to become CSP'S) In order to become a CSP im guessing you would have to click on the option when obtaining a production meter that says, do you plan on reselling this software.

These modules that ask you to put in your FedEx account number and meter number usually don't explain that if you don't have a meter number, leave the meter field blank. Usually it will generate one for you if the software was built do do so.

The other issue that arises is that they don't explain what is actually being sent to FedEx when they submit their account number. In order to obtain a meter, you run what is called a meter subscription request transaction which includes your account number, your address information which the address line must match are records exactly, meaning any abbreviations dashes etc must match what we show on the FedEx back-end systems, also a contact name and company name, phone number are required but don't necessarily have to match.

If you don't see address lines in the software, chances are it is pulling it directly from the address info you set up in the actual shopping cart interface itself. If billing doesn't match shipping address, no worries, set it that way just for the request then change it back once the module obtains the meter.

I know I'm going off on a tangent here because I'm doing a million things at once as I type this information. I will do my best to include more information when I have time.

Thanks for responding.