ozpost shipping module

[nickster08]

...part 4!! I have been assured that that estimate is OK ...

so basically I no longer have any issues

[Peter Homann]

Hi peter,

Yes, I got the same error, although for a lot less weight. I've got a tare weight on the packaging boxes of about 0.1kg. It might have something to with the error occurring at different weights. I don't know, but there's definitely a weight error happening.

I found my problem here. Mayber it is relevant to you as well.

I set my weights as Kgs, as in 0.4kg 0.15kg etc.

When I installed ozpost, I mistakenly set the weight to gms and NOT Kgs.

When I changed it to Kgs the error went away.

With my error set up, ozpost was failing when the total weight was less than 0.5gm Not a surprise really :)


Maybe you have the same error?

Cheers,

Peter.

[RodG]

Our clients and we are seeing an error message to do with VCSWEB error?

[code]Services will be restored ASAP.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Telnet/SSH members,if you can't login please use "herbie.vcsweb.com" instead of 'vcsweb.com"

Hmm, where are you seeing this?

What you are seeing is our default webpage, which should only happen if you go to our site with a web-browser. (ozpost.vcsweb.com and our client's website sites have a higher priority in regards to our restoration efforts)

If you are somehow seeing this from within zen-cart please supply the URL to your store 'cos I'd need to check this out for myself.

Rgds
Rod

[RodG]

using curl DOES seem to fix the problem!

Excellent! I think we are getting somewhere. I rally do appreciate the effort you have put into this, and sorry for not being able to give you more timely responses, the timezone differences are mainly to blame for this. I'm here when you should be sleeping, and you've been debugging whale I've been sleeping.

This suggests to me that the chunking transfer with http method does seem to be the problem with the http method - at least on my installations - as it is corrupting the xml. Not sure how to change the getAPdata to test for chunked transfer method and to correct for it as my php skills are not good enough nor how to check the xml returned to look for and catch the line 345 error before calling simplexmlelement.

This is all new to me, so I'm not sure how to test either.

one major difference between the site that works and the one that doesn't is that the one that does not is using mod_deflate on the server for compression (hence the chunked transfer mode) whereas the one that doesn't is not.

Thanks. I've taken note of this too.

So it seems to me that the tempoary fix if you're having the problem is to turn curl on.

I'm not sure I'd call this a temporary fix, because cURL is actually the *preferred* method these days (it is more secure than http for the ISP). In fact many ISP's have disabled the http method.

This is why the module gives a choice, some ISP's don't allow the http method, and others have been slow to implement cURL.

In short, I would consider cURL to be the permanent fix. At least for those that are able to use it.

Make sure you're using the latest template file too, because otherwise the destination postcode doesn't always get passed to the shipping estimator.

Wise advise. Although this template file is actually optional,
upon first quote, unless a user is logged in, the module doesn't have a destination postcode to work with, so one of the tweaks I made to this file was to check if a postcode exists, and if it *doesn't*, it outputs a store disclaimer and an input box to force a postcode entry, else it'll try to quote a parcel to nowhere, which is sure to return an invalid response.

Anyway, once again I thank you for your help.

Cheers
Rod

[RodG]

Hi Rod,

Heres some noted bugs.

When the weight of the products are small as in .0001Kg the server reports a weight error.

Anything to do with weights is not really a bug. It is invalid input data.

Also as noted with remoteone above I get a blank screen on checkout; however the estimate shipping page is ok.(mostly).
I have to do a refresh to get something shown, and it looks wrong.

Use cURL (if possible and you haven't already done so).

I haven't been able to try disabling curl as suggested because I deleted all the files and will need to try again later.

cURL needs enabling, not disabling.

I don't think the current ozpost module was ready for release, or at least not to so many people. Unfortunately with the old module going down every one has been jumping onto the new module and its clearly not ready.

The ozpost module was released seven months ago. All problems reported since then have been fixed.

If people have tried it during this time, found they had a problem and didn't bother to report it, as I now suspect is the case, then I can only say that it is their own fault for finding themselves in the current situation.

Likewise, it has been made well known (via these forums) that the old AustPost module is no longer supported and has been giving erronious quotes (due to changes in postage costs) since July, so they've had ample time to notice this and upgrade and report any issues with the new module.

I can only do testing and debugging on servers I have access to. I find it almost impossible to believe that not a single person has experienced the current problem before now. Why hasn't it been reported?

The real pisser is that now the problem has been highlighted I simple can't spend the time finding a solution since I have far to many other issues to deal with.

Getting the ozpost server migrated and operational again was a high priority, especially since I'd figured there were no bugs to fix with the client software. It is somewhat annoying to find that this isn't the case, but the timing couldn't be worse.

Cheers
Rod

[p1drobert]

Anything to do with weights is not really a bug. It is invalid input data.

Hi rod,

thanks for the reply. I realize the pressure you're under. I do custom electronics design myself.

These same weights seem to work fine with the old AUSTPOST module. The old AUSTpost module was great and I miss it. I fail to see how adding one of these items creates an error but adding 5 does not if its not a bug, Any other heavier product does fine too so I'm not sure what you mean "not a bug". Never mind, as I can live with that as long as I can figure out why I'm getting a blank page at checkout.

Use cURL (if possible and you haven't already done so).

By this I take it you mean set the USE CURL question to YES.
Yes have done this but still get a blank page. Is there another setting on my host server that I need to activate as well?

The ozpost module was released seven months ago. All problems reported since then have been fixed.

If people have tried it during this time, found they had a problem and didn't bother to report it, as I now suspect is the case, then I can only say that it is their own fault for finding themselves in the current situation.

As I said, I liked your old module so much that I saw no reason to shift to the new one. Until recently when the old one stopped working. I expect a lot of people are doing the same now which might explain why there's more problems reported now than 6 months ago. Also the problem does not occur with zencart version 1.3.7, only for 1.3.8. I have a backup zencart running on 1.3.7 so I was able to check this. Human nature being what it is, any one that tried the new module and found it not to work would probably just go back to the old one and not worry about it. This time we can't go back to the old one.

I've noted this odd occurrence. If icons are enabled the icon next to the ozpost module in the shipping page is missing. The properties show

myurl/catalog/admin/DIR_WS_TEMPLATEStemplate_default/images/icons/ozpost_logo.jpg

This is clearly wrong. The DIR_WS_TEMPLATE seems to be interpreted as part of template_default string. I'm wondering of this might have something to do with the problems I'm noticing.

[p1drobert]

I found my problem here. Mayber it is relevant to you as well.

I set my weights as Kgs, as in 0.4kg 0.15kg etc.

When I installed ozpost, I mistakenly set the weight to gms and NOT Kgs.

When I changed it to Kgs the error went away.

With my error set up, ozpost was failing when the total weight was less than 0.5gm Not a surprise really :)


Maybe you have the same error?

Cheers,

Peter.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your reply. No, I already had my weights and the ozpost module set to kg. Heavier weights have no problem.
I suspect there's some sort of truncation of a few decimal points happening before it gets to the ozpost server.

[Peter Homann]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your reply. No, I already had my weights and the ozpost module set to kg. Heavier weights have no problem.
I suspect there's some sort of truncation of a few decimal points happening before it gets to the ozpost server.

My guess is that it is sending a weight of 0 that causes the problem. Is it possible to add a line into the php that checks for this and if so sets the weight to a minimum value?

Cheers,

Peter.

[ionebusiness]

I've just been doing some testing because I've got the same problem with a store.

I've always had my weights set to kgs and was previously using AustPost - Improved, no TARE.

The tests I did so far with OzPost are as follows:

1 item 0.2kgs = unexpected error (no valid methods). Using AP Flat Rate.
2 items at 0.1kgs each = quote obtained for regular parcel and 500g satchels
2 items at 0.05kgs each = quote obtained for regular parcel and 500g satchels (I'm assuming this is because of my dimensions H2 x L10 x W15)

It looks so far like the problem is with single item purchases. However, I have tried single item purchases at higher weights and they work. Just trying to find out what the threshold weight is for this right now.

Cheers
Andy

[ionebusiness]

My guess is that it is sending a weight of 0 that causes the problem. Is it possible to add a line into the php that checks for this and if so sets the weight to a minimum value?

Cheers,

Peter.

I've just been doing some testing because I've got the same problem with a store.

I've always had my weights set to kgs and was previously using AustPost - Improved, no TARE.

The tests I did so far with OzPost are as follows:

1 item 0.2kgs = unexpected error (no valid methods). Using AP Flat Rate.
2 items at 0.1kgs each = quote obtained for regular parcel and 500g satchels
2 items at 0.05kgs each = quote obtained for regular parcel and 500g satchels (I'm assuming this is because of my dimensions H2 x L10 x W15)

It looks so far like the problem is with single item purchases. However, I have tried single item purchases at higher weights and they work. Just trying to find out what the threshold weight is for this right now.

Cheers
Andy

Single item weight limit to get a quote is 0.51kgs. It gives quotes for regular parcels and 3kg satchels.