Australia Post Delivery Rate Server Down

[RodG]

Hi Rod, Thanks for the tip on using cURL. I am new to ZenCart and don't know where in the admin pages to enable cURL. I did find something under Configuration > My Store > cURL Proxy Status = false. Is this the setting you were talking about?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Wrong setting, wrong place. The one you need is among the config options for the Australia Post module. Way down near the end of the page.

Cheers
rod

[mfalley]

Hi Rod,

Thanks for the quick reply. Once I knew where to look I realised that I was dealing with an older version of the module. When I took over I thought it was the newest version already installed. Once I installed the new version and enabled the cURL, all is great!

Thanks for a great module!

[max44]

Hi Rod,
I think i have been making too many changes too late/early morning.
I have posted two questions which you answered quickly. In both cases, i should have looked harder before the post.
I am using the latest Zen card with a few other modules.
The Aust post improved is working great.
It, price, weight and options for satchel size are correct. I love being able to add the extra delivery day in.
Wonderfull
Thank you for your time and effort.

[Geronimo]

Hi Rod

Earlier on in this topic ( http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...1&postcount=15 ) you mentioned that, if we couldn't get our hosting service to allow scripted access to http://austpost.vcsweb.com, we could make the changes below to the /includes/modules/shipping/austpost.php file.
******

G'day Redmonds,

Resave the file and see if if the error goes away. If it does, you can then choose to either define your own 'fixed costs' . This is done by editing/uncomment the code that reads

/* Fees as of December 2007
costPrePaid3k=9.30
costPrePaid500g=5.30
costCOD=9.30
costREGaus=2.70
costREGints=10.85
costREGintl=17.50
costLETaus=50,1.00,1.45,2.45
costLETint=1.95,3.85,5.80,11.60
costINS=1.20,1.20,5.50,2.00
*/

*****
My hosting service (GoDaddy) replied to my request as follows:
". . . It appears you are attempting to have an outside source connect to your website. From your description, you may be trying to make an external connection to your site's databases. Unfortunately, this is disabled on our shared hosting environment and cannot be enabled. Your sites databases can only be accessed and written to from your hosting account. . . . "

I guess this means I'm not able to access the AP server. I tried editing my austpost.php file as you mentioned but the result is that, after adding a product to the shopping cart, when I click on "checkout" the whole site disappears - i.e. the next page is a total blank. If I revert to the original austpost.php code, the cart works properly again except for the "ERROR:Unable to obtain a valid quote from the Australia Post Server." message in the Shipping Method section.

I notice that the relevant lines in my austpost.php file are slightly different from the above, in that each of my lines is preceded with a "$" sign - e.g.
// $costPrePaid3k=9.30 ;
// $costPrePaid500g=5.30 ;
etc.

I've tried removing just the "//" as well as "// $" but in each case I get a blank screen after clicking on "checkout".

My site is www.lakinplates.com

Do you have any suggestions for me?

Kind regards

Geronimo - Philip

[RodG]

G'day Geronimo,

>Earlier on in this topic ( http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...1&postcount=15 ) you >mentioned that, if we couldn't get our hosting service to allow scripted access to >http://austpost.vcsweb.com, we could make the changes below to the >/includes/modules/shipping/austpost.php file.

If you read that post a little more carefully, that isn't what I said at all. You may have got that impression if you didn't really follow the entire message though.

> My hosting service (GoDaddy) replied to my request as follows:
> ". . . It appears you are attempting to have an outside source connect to your website.
> From your description,

You obviously didn't provide a good desription, ot they simply misinterpreted what you wrote.

> you may be trying to make an external connection to your site's databases.

Most definitely not.

> Unfortunately, this is disabled on our shared hosting environment and cannot
> be enabled.

And rightfully so. It takes extreemly rare and unusual circumstances for it to be permissible to allow external access to a database backend on a publicclly accessible server.

> Your sites databases can only be accessed and written to from your hosting account. "

Just as they should be.

Anyway, lets try to sort out your problem...

Step one. Define the problem.
It is best if you do this. I can only guess that you are getting:
"AustPost (ERROR:Unable to obtain a valid quote from the Australia Post Server.
Please try again later, or contact the store owner if problems persist.)"

If you are getting anything other than this error message you should ignore anything that follows and get back to me with what the error message actually says.

Step2.
Because you have edited the "austpost.php" file I insist you restore it with an original copy from the distribution files, then go back to step number 1.

Do not proceed to step 3 until you have satisfied steps 1 and 2.

Step3.
Log into the admin section of your store, go to the austpost module settings, and see if the 'use cURL' checkbox is ticked. If so, untick it. Save the settings, EXIT your webbrowser, start a new browser session and see if you can get a quote (using the storefront).

If it works, you are done.

If it still doesn't work repeat step#3, but this time tick the checkbox. DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE YOUR BROWSER after making this change.
(the reason is, some zencart lookups get cached, which can often make it appear that a change has had no effect).

Open a new browser and try getting another quote.

If it works, youre done, esle step#5

Step#5
If it still doesn't work and you have performed ALL of the steps above, then, and only then should you edit the php file. You only have to make ONE change (as detailed in msg#15)
----------------------------------------------------
/includes/modules/shipping/austpost.php into a text editor, and looking for the line that reads:
$SERVER = "http://austpost.vcsweb.com/" ;
Change this to:
$SERVER = "http://drc.edeliver.com.au/" ;
Resave the file and see if if the error goes away.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I think you missed that last line when you read msg#15, because you apparently went on to change other lines, and got yourself in an even deeper hole than what you were in, which is why you need to go all the way back to step#1. DON'T try to take any shortcuts, because you'll probably just end up going araound and around in circles.

I can almost guarantee that if you follow those steps, you'll have it working before getting to step#5 - and if it isn't working I would be expecting you to see a different error message than "Unable to connect to server". In which case you should NOT procede beyond the point that the error message changes (because then we are going to be looking for a different problem, and need to take different steps to solve it).

Hopefully this will help keep your sanity a little longer..... or not. ;-)

Cheers
Rod

[Geronimo]

Hi Rod

Thanks for your detailed reply. Before I do anything further I'll just confirm exactly which error I'm receiving. I replaced the austpost.php file with the original from your download and cleared all cookies, temp internet files, history and form data, then closed IE and restarted it again.

With cURL set to "yes" I get this error message when I order a product and enter the Shopping Cart page where the "Estimate Shipping Costs" table appears.
------------------------
ERROR:Unable to obtain a valid quote from the Australia Post Server.
You may still checkout using this method and we will contact you with postage costs as soon as possible.
------------------------
I then shut down IE and set cURL to "off" accessing the admin screen in Firefox. I received exactly the same error message as before. Each time it lists $0.00 in the rate column.

Is this error message the equivalent of the one you mentioned in your reply to me? I'll wait for your answer before I look at changing anything else.

Kind regards

Geronimo - Philip

[RodG]

Hi Philip,

Please follow Dr.Byte's instructions on how to use cURL with godaddy here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61528

Then ensure you have cURL enabled in the Australia post module.

That should/possibly/maybe get it working for you. If not, get back to me and I'll tell you the next step.

Cheers
Rod

[Geronimo]

Hi again Rod

I've checked these instructions and note that my settings are already set to: "proxy.shr.secureserver.net:3128". I experimented with the suggested older alternative just now - 64.202.165.130:3128 but the result of that was that when I clicked to display my cart, the page only partly loaded - no sideboxes, no menu along the top and none of the section below the cart that displays the shipping estimate (well...that displays the error anyway - lol).

Setting it back to the former setting - proxy.shr.secureserver.net:3128 - got those things working again.

I have cURL Proxy Status set to "True". I installed my Zen Cart through GoDaddy so I think these settings would have been automatically installed for me. My PayPal Website Payments Standard is working well, by the way. Does that give you any clues as to whether my site has access to the AP URL's?

I plan to phone GoDaddy shortly to see if I can get a better answer than the written one I received yesterday.

Thanks for continuing to follow this one through, Rod. Please let me know if you can think of anything else I should test.

I believe I have a shared hosting plan. Is that a problem?

Kind regards

Philip

Hi Philip,

Please follow Dr.Byte's instructions on how to use cURL with godaddy here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61528

Then ensure you have cURL enabled in the Australia post module.

That should/possibly/maybe get it working for you. If not, get back to me and I'll tell you the next step.

Cheers
Rod

[Geronimo]

Hi Rod

I've just got off the phone to GoDaddy and they assure me that they are NOT blocking access by script files to the http://austpost.vcsweb.com/ URL. I've checked my shopping cart again and am still getting the same error message.

I've also tried removing then re-installing the module just now but it makes no difference. I closed down my web browser in the meantime.

In summary:
I have ZenCart hosted with GoDaddy and am using the apple-zen template.
I have cURL set to True with proxy set to proxy.shr.secureserver.net:3128 as auto installed by GoDaddy.
GoDaddy assure me that my site has access to the Austpost URL.
I've got the Austpost module set to use cURL.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can tell you that would help you to pinpoint the problem - or what I'm doing wrong.

Kind regards

Philip

[RodG]

Hi Rod
I've just got off the phone to GoDaddy and they assure me that they are NOT blocking access by script files to the http://austpost.vcsweb.com/ URL. I've checked my shopping cart again and am still getting the same error message.

You've jumped the gun a little, but no big deal. I'll continue as I'd planned.

In summary:
I have ZenCart hosted with GoDaddy

As you have possibly gathered from other threads, this may very well be your issue. However I'm still not willing to give up just yet.

and am using the apple-zen template.

That shouldn't have any bearing on this problem.

GoDaddy assure me that my site has access to the Austpost URL.

Alas, I have very little faith in what many webhosts have to say, so please bear with me a little while longer.

I've got the Austpost module set to use cURL.

OK. I think that you should leave it that way from here on in. The reason being is that from what I've been reading the cURL method is the only method that godaddy will support, so regardless of the actual problem, this is now a confirmed 'must use'.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can tell you that would help you to pinpoint the problem - or what I'm doing wrong.

Don't go blaming yourself, well, not at least until I say you can <g>

Anyway, here's the situation so far.
1. I have determined that godaddy requires the use of cURL, so don't try anything without this option set.

2. The server @ austpost.vcsweb.com doesn't show ANY accesses coming from any of the godaddy servers (if there are any they aren't being identified as such). Sadly this is a bad sign because I can't confirm that other godaddy users aren't also having a problem. It is possible you are the first Aust zencart user hosted by godaddy.

3. The server @ austpost.vcsweb.com doesn't show any accessess with your webstore URL (www.lakinplates.com).

These are the facts that I/we know.

What we don't know for sure is whether godaddy is blocking access to austpost.vcsweb.com or not. We only have some dweeb on the help desk that has told you that (apologies to any helpdesk dweebs). I reckon they wouldn't know the difference between austpost.vcsweb.com & drc.edeliver.com (the 'official' server for austpost quotations).

Anyway, I'd like to eliminate this possibility if I can, so with curl enabled and configured (so it doesn't crash your system), could you please proceed to step#5 of my earlier instructions, namely:

Step#5
If it still doesn't work and you have performed ALL of the steps above, then, and only then should you edit the php file. You only have to make ONE change (as detailed in msg#15)
----------------------------------------------------
/includes/modules/shipping/austpost.php into a text editor, and looking for the line that reads:
$SERVER = "http://austpost.vcsweb.com/" ;
Change this to:
$SERVER = "http://drc.edeliver.com.au/" ;
Resave the file and see if if the error goes away.
------------------------------------------------------------------

Get back to me with the results (which may or may not change).

Only one thing to be aware of: If it does return a result after making this change, the result may not be accurate (it will only have some of the required data). We can take care of that if need be. The point at the moment is to see if there is ANY change at all.

If nothing changes, return the austpost.php file back to how it was.

Cheers
Rod