ozpost shipping module

[RodG]

Updated and now fastway shipping time estimate doesnt display correctly.

Actually, it is displaying the unmodified data send from the fastway server.

Also postage delay doesnt work

It does, but only in certain circumstances.

Let me explain ... there is a bit of an evolution processes going on here. The original postage delay was very simple because only one source of data was used, namely, Australia Post, and it supplied a single number/digit to indicate the estimated days delivery to the client, so all the module needed to do was add the number of days delay to this number, then add a bit of text to make it obvious what the number stood for, the text of course being 'Days Estimated delivery'

This was fine until I started adding other carriers each of which had their own methods of specifying the delivery time. SO, to mitigate this issue I added code to skip this behaviour with the new carriers. For all practical purposes this worked quite well, but what I didn't realise though that I failed to exclude FastWay from being treated in this manner... and because PHP doesn't enforce script coding habits instead of producing an error, it was allowing the code to add the days delay to a "number" like ("2 to 3").. it does this by ignoring anything after the '2', so if the dals delay was '3' then the reported estimate for "2 to 3" plus 4 = 6.
Now, because this is working only due to a bug, the number is now a single digit, so the client text "Day Estimated Delivery" was correctly/incorrecty added and everything appeared fine.

Anyway, I discovered this 'bug' whilst adding the Platinum Parcel methods and noted that the estimated days returned for these were no longer using the standard AustPost single number/no text - So I have been/am seeking a method to both fix the bug AND allow the differently formatted data from the server. To do this, A bit of lateral thinking gave me the idea of using the length of the string(s) returned, so if a "long" string was returned (such as "not avialalbe to all locations" then the module should display the string, 'as is'. If the string was short, then assume it was a number (or range of numbers) and then add the postage delay and other text.

I chose to make the 'switch' at 5 characters.. "2 to 3" is 6 characters so it is being displayed as is.

To revert back to the previous bevaviour edit line 572 of /includes/modules/ozpost.php and change

if (strlen($quote->days) > 4 )
to
if (strlen($quote->days) > 6 )

Anyway, that said, I still need to do some serious thinking/tinkering in regards to how to deal with this in the future... as mentioned, it currently only works with fastway due to an oversight combined with loose (poor) coding, the days delay has never had any affect with the other courier times.

I'm also not at all happy with the various inconsitancy of formats ... TNT for example estimates a particular date (taking weekends and holidays into account), Australia Post returns just a single number (for all but platinum)
Fastway provides a range of days, but only the numbers, no text, and so on.

It'd be nice if I had the server return them all in the same format, my *personal* preference would the format used by TNT, where it specifies a partcular date, but I can't just jump into doing that, because then it will break the postage delay stuff completely, and to mitigate this issue means the days-delay needs to be sent to the server so that they can be added *before* the request, rather than after the results are returned (Bugger, I meant to add that to this release so that if I did get around to looking at it serverside the client code wouldn't need to be updated again. Oh well. Next time.

The other (simpler) option would be to convert the very informative date based estimates down to the number of days format and add the delay client side...

Other than my current neglect to send the delay_days to the server it is theoretically possible to support both methods with no other changes to the client code.

Anyway, that's the story regarding this change... if you have any thoughts, opinions or suggestions as to how you'd like to see the estimated delivery times in the future then I'm all ears.

Cheers
Rod

[integrity_designs]

includes/templates/template_default/images/icons/ozpost_logo.gif

How do I remove the above part from the postage section of shopping cart please (the part in bold I mean)?

I have tried placing the icon in the section etc, but it is not removing it.

I have just subscribed to the module today.

Everything else is working fine that I can see.
Kind Regards Casey

[RodG]

includes/templates/template_default/images/icons/ozpost_logo.gif
How do I remove the above part from the postage section of shopping cart please (the part in bold I mean)?

I have tried placing the icon in the section etc, but it is not removing it.

This usually only shows when the icon is missing (or no permission to view), but after a number of tests/checks there does appear to be something amiss that I haven't quite put my finger on yet.

Meanwhile, the best fix is to load
/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php into a text editor, navigate to line #315, which currently reads:

$ozicon = ( $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] == "main_page=checkout_shipping" ) ? $this->logo:" " ;

Then replace this line with
$ozicon = " " ;
(That is a space character enclosed by quotes, followed by a semi colon).

Resave the file.

Cheers
Rod

[integrity_designs]

This usually only shows when the icon is missing (or no permission to view), but after a number of tests/checks there does appear to be something amiss that I haven't quite put my finger on yet.

Meanwhile, the best fix is to load
/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php into a text editor, navigate to line #315, which currently reads:

$ozicon = ( $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] == "main_page=checkout_shipping" ) ? $this->logo:" " ;

Then replace this line with
$ozicon = " " ;
(That is a space character enclosed by quotes, followed by a semi colon).

Resave the file.

Cheers
Rod

Thank-you for your help. It is very much appreciated.

Kind Regards Casey

[Lissy]

Hi, I just went to check some postage costs on my site, only to find that I'm getting no results back.
It shows "Available Shipping Methods" and "Rates" but then there's nothing underneath.
I'm not sure when it stopped working. I did check it after I subscribed and it was working then. My site is Learn Heaps.
I've checked my other site and it does seem to be working, so I'm not sure what's happened.

[RodG]

Hi, I just went to check some postage costs on my site, only to find that I'm getting no results back.
It shows "Available Shipping Methods" and "Rates" but then there's nothing underneath.

I've just tried to verify this, and it seems that you are offering Free Shipping on every single item I've looked at.

You MAY have done this as a result of the apparent problem you were having, or it may be the problem itself.. You haven't really provided enougth information.

I'm not sure when it stopped working. I did check it after I subscribed and it was working then. My site is Learn Heaps.
I've checked my other site and it does seem to be working, so I'm not sure what's happened.

Nothing amiss at the server end, and it is obvious that whatever the problem is, it is local to one of your stores only. Enabling the DEBUG option is generally very informative in cases like this.

Cheers
Rod

[Lissy]

Hi Rod
Okay, I've turned debug on. Hopefully it tells you something useful, because I can't see anything obvious!!

I have 2 types of products.
One lot have free shipping, and have a "Free Shipping" logo in the product list. When I estimate shipping on those, I'm getting the free shipping option showing up and nothing else, which is fine and how it should work.
The problem is all the rest of my products, which should have shipping listed as it's not included in the product's price, but these are returning a blank result - ie just the table headers and nothing underneath that. An example is:
http://learnheaps.com/zencart/litera...-frieze-poster

[Lissy]

Oh, and I notice the VCSWEB section under debug is coming up with a 403-Forbidden error page. Is that correct or am I supposed to be able to see helpful stuff there?

[RodG]

Okay, I've turned debug on. Hopefully it tells you something useful, because I can't see anything obvious!!

The permission denied is of significant concern, I'm currently at a loss to expain it ....

I have 2 types of products.
One lot have free shipping, and have a "Free Shipping" logo in the product list. When I estimate shipping on those, I'm getting the free shipping option showing up and nothing else, which is fine and how it should work.
The problem is all the rest of my products, which should have shipping listed as it's not included in the product's price, but these are returning a blank result - ie just the table headers and nothing underneath that. An example is:
http://learnheaps.com/zencart/litera...-frieze-poster

At least now I have something to work with.... I wonder how long it would have taken me to stumple onto an item that didn't have free shipping? (not long actually, I stop looking after 5 seconds). It is easier (but takes longer) for me to wait until a suitable link is provided :-)

Do you have any other useful information? Such as are there any other problems? Hints about changes or updates that may have caused the problem?

I'll run a few more test/checks later this evening..

Cheers
Rod

[Lissy]

It would be nice to say that I check the postage calculator daily, but as I don't think I have since I subscribed, it's a bit hard to put the finger on when it went funny. I don't "fiddle" with the site much though!
The only change made recently was I was trying to change something, which involved altering
admin/includes/configure.php
includes/configure.php
To do it, though, I just renamed the existing file configure_old.php in both directories, fiddled with a copy, then when it didn't work, deleted the copy and renamed the old file back to configure.php
I have double checked these files and they're dated 2008, so they've definitely gone back to the old versions when the postage calculator worked fine, so I'm not really sure if there's any way that's upset something.