[Resolved v1.3.9d/e] Paypal IPN double orders

[DrByte]

The IPN handler in ZC? But why is Paypal even invoking it in the first place if the users are paying via the eBay/ Paypal website?

Because you gave your Zen Cart address as the Instant Payment Notification URL in your PayPal account profile settings. But, since you need the IPN feature enabled if you're going to use the IPN module, you've got to point it to "something".
You could point it to someplace else if you like, as long as that "other place" will acknowledge the IPNs it receives. Zen Cart will still tell PayPal to notify your Zen Cart store when the IPN relates to your Zen Cart transactions.

Granted, you could always turn off the IPN module in your store, and use Express Checkout instead.

In the case of the double orders, is what is contained within those code snippets enough to trigger two orders? The first one seem like it's just an array, whereas the second one has various success statements and references a ZC order ID.

Well, since you stripped out all the actual transaction data, I can't verify anything about them.
The first of the 3 you shared is just a display of the info being submitted to PayPal. It's not really needed for anything unless you believe PayPal is changing the data once they receive it ... that's very rare.
But, looking at the 2nd two files you shared, and strictly looking at the transaction amounts, I don't see how you think they're duplicates. One is for 4.99 and says it was successful, and the other for 14.30 and was not successful because it didn't find an existing matching order waiting for IPN validation ... which suggests it didn't even come from Zen Cart in the first place.

If you've shared *all* the log data you have, then there's nothing obvious indicating the cause for duplicates. Maybe you have an addon that's clashing somewhere?

[DMUK]

Because you gave your Zen Cart address as the Instant Payment Notification URL in your PayPal account profile settings. But, since you need the IPN feature enabled if you're going to use the IPN module, you've got to point it to "something".
You could point it to someplace else if you like, as long as that "other place" will acknowledge the IPNs it receives. Zen Cart will still tell PayPal to notify your Zen Cart store when the IPN relates to your Zen Cart transactions.

Granted, you could always turn off the IPN module in your store, and use Express Checkout instead.

Understood - thank you. I think I will look into Express Checkout if it doesn't remove any functionality, like paying with debit card without being forced to open a Paypal account.

Well, since you stripped out all the actual transaction data, I can't verify anything about them.
The first of the 3 you shared is just a display of the info being submitted to PayPal. It's not really needed for anything unless you believe PayPal is changing the data once they receive it ... that's very rare.
But, looking at the 2nd two files you shared, and strictly looking at the transaction amounts, I don't see how you think they're duplicates. One is for 4.99 and says it was successful, and the other for 14.30 and was not successful because it didn't find an existing matching order waiting for IPN validation ... which suggests it didn't even come from Zen Cart in the first place.

Sorry, I should have been clearer, the first two snippets of code in my post are the ones that are identical, or at least are from the same person. The third snippet is one of the eBay notices.

In the first two, all the transaction data is the same, with the exception the second seems to be the one actually carrying out the order and transaction, whereas the first just seems to place an order.

[DrByte]

In the first two, all the transaction data is the same, with the exception the second seems to be the one actually carrying out the order and transaction, whereas the first just seems to place an order.

Then they contain what I would expect them to contain when working normally.
They're not giving any reason for duplications occurring.

[DMUK]

Then they contain what I would expect them to contain when working normally.
They're not giving any reason for duplications occurring.

Drat! :) So it is perfectly normal to expect two separate *.log files per Paypal IPN transaction.

Regarding Paypal Express, I am finding contradicting statements on this site regarding whether users can pay without a Paypal account.

I am also alarmed to read that standard website payments/IPN method does not report payments to the cart if theu user doesn't setup a Paypal account. If this bug on Paypal's side is still present, it seems awfully convenient leverage to a cart exclusively requiring a Paypal account or upgrading to Pro.

[DMUK]

If the two logs show a single transaction and that's normal - is there anything else I can do to investigate why ZC is showing two orders?

[DMUK]

Now it has started to send some orders through once and some in double. The plot thickens.

[DMUK]

As much as I hate posting the fourth successive post to my own thread, I am really at a loss here.

According to Dr Byte, the IPN logs indicate normal activity (just to clarify, that's two separate log files per transaction, right?) which means this is not a problem with Paypal, which leaves, Zen Cart, environment, user error or customer action. I am 99.9% sure it's not user error simply based on how long I spent trying to rectify it, and I can rule customer action out as it's happening to nearly everyone.

That leaves ZC and environment issues - are there any further things I can do to try and isolate this issue?

Thanks

DMUK

[sam_m]

As much as I hate posting the fourth successive post to my own thread, I am really at a loss here.

According to Dr Byte, the IPN logs indicate normal activity (just to clarify, that's two separate log files per transaction, right?) which means this is not a problem with Paypal, which leaves, Zen Cart, environment, user error or customer action. I am 99.9% sure it's not user error simply based on how long I spent trying to rectify it, and I can rule customer action out as it's happening to nearly everyone.

That leaves ZC and environment issues - are there any further things I can do to try and isolate this issue?

Thanks

DMUK

Not thats its of any help but just for reference, but ive had something similar happen when using Protx Form (dont use paypal on this particular zen cart site), one order came through twice on the shop with different order numbers, but just one payment was taken, then recently 3 orders came through with just one payment. Perhaps it is a Zen Cart glitch?

[DMUK]

It's certainly weird, but in the absence of tonnes of ZC users reporting the same issues en masse, it seems fairly localised to me (and you).

it was all triggered by a PHP upgrade, and the normal *fix* did not seem to work, nor a new update.

Right now, my customers are still getting two emails per order, creating much confusion and I am clueless to fix it

[DMUK]

Okay, so I am officially at the end of my tether with this and about to throw the screen out the window. I have searched, and searched, and pored over everything here but nothing I do stops the duplicate orders occurring. I am now at the point where I start to consider porting from Zencart to something else because the customer experience is being affected with no light at the end of the tunnel. I don't want to do that (not least because I have not confirmed it's an issue with ZC so it's hardly a guaranteed solution).

Can anybody offer me a new path to try? A setting to check, a server value to investigate?