Google Checkout module for ZC 1.3.x (beta)

[ropu]

Hi

im plannig drop a new release on monday

but now i drop BETA RELEASE for testers!! stable, but not fully tested...

April Friday 13th 2007 v1.3RC2 (ropu)
- Support for UK merchants
http://code.google.com/apis/checkout...ase_notes.html (apr13)
- Updated Templates to Zencart v1.3.7
- Docs update
- Minor bug fix
- Added Shipping Generator Tool in the stardard package (Optional)
- Flat rate shipping bug fixed
- Improved tax and shipping restrictions
UPDATE from v1.3*
================

Modified Files:
1. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/admin/includes/functions/extra_functions/added_function_for_google_checkout.php
3. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/googlecheckout/gcheckout.php
4. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/googlecheckout/responsehandler.php
5. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/includes/modules/payment/googlecheckout.php
6. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/templates/tpl_login_default.php
7. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/templates/tpl_shopping_cart_default.php
Removed one template! tpl_checkout_payment_default.php
New Files: (Optional)
1. YOUR_ZENCART_FOLDER/googlecheckout/shipping_generator/*
must remove/install the module

its done, but i need some beta test... it's working with flat rates, and with both items national and international

try it here

http://demo.globant.com/~brovagnati/zen_demo2

here is the package (BETA RELEASE for testers!! but stable)
http://demo.globant.com/~brovagnati/....3RC2_beta.zip

thx for everything

ropu

[Danielle]

Hi there,

I've read through many (but not all!) pages of this thread, and it looks like the mod for zen cart does not yet support downloads, is that right? Someone from Google posted this on the Google forum:

Checkout is designed primarily for shipping tangible goods. Digital
delivery is not built in to Checkout and you will have to work with a
shopping cart or e-commerce developer if you would like to automate
delivery.

Don't let this stop you, though. It is definitely acceptable to use
intangible goods with Google Checkout.

Joel
GoogleCheckoutPro

So it sounds like there *should* be a way to integrate it, but I'm just not sure how??? Has anyone had any success with this yet?

[misty]

ROPU..http://200.69.205.154/~brovagnati/zen_demo2/
Add product to cart produces errors...

[Woodymon]

Hi ropu-

Your 1.3-RC2beta update fixed my shipping issues!!!!! Thank you!!!!

With that said below are some suggestions for mod improvement (in order of priority):

1. Email formatting issues for messages sent to both shop admin and customer, accepting email in text format only. (test email format support is a MUST!)

2. Email addressing issues (customer should at least be able to reply to the "Order Receipt" message and thus the reply to address should be the shop admin email address).

3. On the last Google Checkout page which displays after an order is processed, provide an option for a link and a redirect to a Zen Cart checkout success page.

4. Support for "split login page" functionality built into Zen Cart 1.37.

Other suggestions:

- a few additional clarifications/edits in the mod docs
- clean-up of "shipping methods generator" readme and more comprehensive explanation/example on how to use the "shipping methods generator" is needed.

I will PM you my suggestions regards to the above.

Also is it possible to generate a wishlist in this thread for features we would like to see implemented in the Google Checkout for Zen Cart mod. Of course with an understanding of the current limitations and status of the Google Checkout system itself.

Thanks again for making shipping happen. Now we can test the mod more thoroughly ;-)

Woody

[Jay42]

I'm about ready to scrap this, but figured I'd give it one more shot....

I ran the Responsehandler test again and got these results:

XML We Sent:

Authorization: Basic XXXXXX:XXXXXX
Content-Type: application/xml;charset=UTF-8
Accept: application/xml;charset=UTF-8
X-Origin-IP: 71.228.86.156

XML We Received:

HTTP/1.0 200 OK
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:04:33 GMT
Server: Apache/2.0.54 (Unix) PHP/4.4.4 mod_ssl/2.0.54 OpenSSL/0.9.7e mod_fastcgi/2.4.2 DAV/2 SVN/1.3.2
X-Powered-By: PHP/5.2.1
Expires: Thu, 19 Nov 1981 08:52:00 GMT
Cache-Control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0
Pragma: no-cache
Set-Cookie: zenid=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; path=/; domain=www.Jay42.com
Vary: Accept-Encoding
Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
X-Cache: MISS from proxy.globant.com
Proxy-Connection: close

Sat Apr 14 2:04:33 PDT 2007:- Invalid

Time to response: 0.66205787658691 segs
Note: This script MUST response in less than 3 sec. so GC srv doesn't timeout.'

I was encouraged by the fact my response time was far less than 3 seconds, so again I placed a sandbox order and got the default shipping rates - not the UPS rates. Then, I logged into my Merchant Sandbox and retreived the following error message:

We timed out waiting for your server at http://www.Jay42.com/googlecheckout/responsehandler.php -- the error we got is: Read timed out Your server must respond faster to merchant calculation callback requests.

I've read and re-read all the posts in this forum over and over again, and am really at a loss as to what is causing these errors.

I'm not a programmer and certainly no expert on the meaning of the results in the above test, so perhaps there is something you can tell me that can help me fix it???

Also, what I'd really like to know is....who are you, Ropu? Do you work for Google? I can't imagine you'd spend as much time on this mod as you seem to if you were doing it for free, or for a few Paypal donations.

The obvious reason that store owners want this mod installed is for the free charges until the end of the year. My average order is about $500, so the 2.5% savings I would experience equals $12.50 more in my pocket on just about every order I fill. That adds up. But I really can't become a Google Beta tester...I simply don't have the time....I have a business to run.

So if you do work for Google, Ropu, tell them you need help in getting a stable release to market for the Zen Cart community ASAP....a release that even a novice user can install effortlessly. If you are doing this from the kindness of your heart, and not getting paid, then please email me when you have a stable production version and I will Paypal you my donation. And please let us all know who you are.

[Woodymon]

I'm about ready to scrap this, but figured I'd give it one more shot....

The obvious reason that store owners want this mod installed is for the free charges until the end of the year. My average order is about $500, so the 2.5% savings I would experience equals $12.50 more in my pocket on just about every order I fill. That adds up. But I really can't become a Google Beta tester...I simply don't have the time....I have a business to run.

I have no comments on your timeout issues. But I'm sure ropu will be able to assist. He always comes though.

But I wanted to respond as to the reason I've employed Google Checkout which is to provide an alternative low-cost checkout option which competes with PayPal (too many people still see PayPal during the checkout process and walk away). So I'm using the mod because of the free checkout fees, although that is a very nice extra.

I suspect the reasoning behind Google Checkout not charging transaction fees through the end of the year has something to do with Google expecting it would take some time for Google Checkout to mature and to allow time for integrating Google Checkout support into popular ecommerce applications (meaning BETA). Google was probably thinking that would help minimize the potential pissing and moaning about various issues throughout the beta process, if the service was not free.

If you don't want to beta test then probably best to sit on the sidelines for awhile longer until an official non-beta version is released.

At the same time it might be good idea to submit your desires to Google and/or post on the Google Groups Google Checkout Merchant Support forum.

Good luck,
Woody

[Woodymon]

ropu,

On the Zen Cart admin orders index page, a line item appears for each order, which includes the shipping method employed to process the order.

So in my installation "itemnational" or "iteminternational" or "free", should display for the shipping method.

However on the admin orders index page "table" is displayed as the "shipping method" when purchasing with Google Checkout.

Any suggestions on displaying the actual shipping module name instead? (as other payment modules do).

Thanks,
Woody

[Woodymon]

1. Regards to Google Checkout info posted to ZC admin orders page...

I observe ALL the responses from Google Checkout display in the comments area in Zen Cart admin orders page.

Keep in mind all info posted to the comments area is available to the customer if they log into their Zen Cart (via MyAccount) which is possible if an customer with an preexisting Zen Cart account submits an order through Google Checkout or if a new customer wants access to their order through Zen Cart... which will likely be the case when downloads are supported by Google Checkout.

So it would be best if the Google Checkout mod posted most of the responses to an area on the orders page which is only accessible to the admin. (similar to as the PayPal IPN payment mod does... display the data in an HTML table above the order comments area).

The only Google Checkout responses that should be displayed in the comments area is info that the customer should specifically have access to and would also likely be submitted to the customer through an email notification. That would include state changes from pending to processing (or other orders status changes such as canceled or refunded). (again just like the PayPal IPN mod does).

If you don't have PayPal IPN mod installed or not sure which I refer to please let me know and I can show you an example of what data PayPal data shows in the comment boxes (and thus is accessible by the customer) and what data is posted to the admin orders page (which is NOT accessible by the customer).

2. On a related admin issue...

For an order submitted through Google Checkout I observe displayed in the first comment box on the ZC admin orders page "Buyer's Password: 34600848543"

If a customer already has a Zen Cart account, then checks out through Google Checkout with the same email address, it appears Google Checkout relates that order data to the preexisting Zen Cart account. If this is the case is the previous customer Zen Cart password overwritten with the new password created by Google Checkout, or does the pre-existing Zen Cart customer account password still hold true?

Also say if a customer whom never has set-up a Zen Cart account checks out with Google Checkout, and then later revisits the shop and decides to set-up a new account. How does that process work? Zen Cart would see an account was already set-up with that specific email address and thus not allow the customer to create a new Zen Cart account with that email address.

But the customer might not understand this and become confused. What is the mechanism in place to deal with such an issue. Maybe prompt customer to click on "password forgotten" link to obtain via email the account password created by Google Checkout.

And are there any security risks to consider here?

Hope this all makes sense.

Thanks,
Woody

[Woodymon]

ropu,

Here is some strangeness I'm observing while testing the mod in sandbox mode...

As a customer I add a single item to my shop cart then check out via Google Checkout. Then on the Google Checkout page I decide to not complete the transaction (for any reason) and then I close my browser window. Then I later revisit the shop. When I do, I unexpectedly observe the shopping cart sidebox is displayed. And the contents of the SC sidebox is "1 ea. - " with "Total $0.00". That is no actual product name is listed, just 1 each with no price and then a zero total.

This is strange as the shopping cart sidebox should not display when there were no items in the shop cart. It appears that Zen Cart is attempting to recall contents of the abandoned shop cart (when the Google Checkout order was not completed) but cannot. It's as if a 'ghost" non-item is still in the shopping cart.

But this does not become a real issue until I add an item to shop cart then proceed to the shopping cart page. At that point a yellow warning box appears stating the item in my shop cart is no longer available in inventory and has been deleted from my shopping cart.

Although this applies to the "ghost" item and not the item I just added to my shop cart, it is confusing nevertheless and not suppose to be occurring. A customer might think like I did that the message had to do with the item I just added to the shopping cart.

I installed the new Google Checkout mod on two different ZC 1.37 test shop installs and observe the same behavior. Anyone else able to replicate?

Woody

[Woodymon]

ropu,

You previously responded to my question regards to the "checkout" link in Zen Cart header, and stated that even when Google Checkout is installed, the link still directs to the step 1 of regular Zen Cart checkout (when customer is logged into Zen Cart).

Best if your mod could override this behavior, so when a customer is already logged into Zen Cart, the "checkout" link will redirect to the shopping cart page instead. Otherwise customers whom are already logged into Zen cart would miss the opportunity to check out through Google Checkout.

When you got involved in this "integration" project did you really know what you were getting yourself into?

Please stop me if I'm not making sense.

Woody