ozpost shipping module

[RodG]

Another option (easy to implement, but I'm not convinced that there isn't a better way) is for the server to provide quotes for *all* satchels (that are suitable), and leave it for the client to filter the ones they don't need. This is much like the current method, but it will have the 'bad' side effect of offering (say) the 3kg and the 500gm stachels instead of just the 500gm ones, if suitible. IOW, it will present the customer an option that they don't really need. It WILL solve the current problems though.. but it is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils, in my opinion.

My 'other' solution is to update the client code (again), to include another setting to tell the server to continue to work the way it is, or to return all satchel quotes as indicated above, thus making it a user choice.. This is the 'near ideal' solution, other than it does introduce yet another setting that would probably confuse most people as to its purpose.

OK, I think I've figured out the best way to do this.

1. By default, have the server returning quotes as it currently does (less chance of causing issues with older versions).

2. Update the client code with the following tests/checks
a) Are ALL satchel sizes enabled? If so, no changes needed
b) Are ALL satchel sizes disabled? If so, no changes needed.
c) Are only *some* satchel sizes enabled? If so, send additional data to the server so that either ALL suitable satchel quotes are returned (IOW, the smallest sachel possible, plus those that are larger, if any).

The downside being if the client only disables the XL satchels (the most likely case) and the item/parcel is 500gm suitable, the customer will still be presented with the 3kg satchels as well.

The other option for part 'c' would be to send enough data to the server (based on what is enabled/disabled) to enable the server to return quotes based on client selection and what is possible (as opposed to what is optimum).

Hmmmm.... probably not to hard after all.... Stay tuned...

Cheers
Rod

[Arliss61]

Hi Rod

I've just (re)checked, and 4012 is definitely now identified as being inside the next day delivery network, so I can only guess that it was the destination postcode that was outside (apparently).

For my tests, I used postcodes 3000 (Melbourne) and 5555 (Ashford).
Only the quote to 5555 indicated that it was outside the express network.

You seem to have fixed the problem from the origin post code ie 4102 but there is still a problem at the destination end.

For example, from Brisbane (4012) the Express Network to Melbourne includes a range of post codes including 3000-3210; 3335-3338 plus several others incl Geelong and Ballarat.

In my test: 3000 (Melb CBD) and 3350 (Ballarat) were seen as Express but 3211 (Little River), 3220 (Bareena), 3182 (St Kilda) 3183 (Balaclava) 3168 (Clayton) are seen by the module as outside the Express Network. 5000 works too but not 5015 (Port Adelaide) or 5045 (Glenelg).

Maybe there is a problem with the coding of the ranges?

cheers

[RodG]

Maybe there is a problem with the coding of the ranges?

I've just added the remaining data tables.
If anything, any further errors will fail 'the other way' now, meaning that it is more likely to indicate next day deliverty IS possible in some cases where it may not be possible. Until now the default 'fail' mode was to indicate next day isn't possible, when in fact it was.

If you do spot any erronious exceptions please let me know and I'll see what I can do to rectify them.

Cheers
Rod

[jazzah]

Hi Rod, I have upgraded without any problems (Am I jinxing myself typing this!) I also investigated the insurance/registered post scripts you replied with and decided to go with disabling regular parcel post for parcels. However there is still one dilemma, How can we force customers who are purchasing over teh $100 insurance level of registered post so that they have to pay for registered AND insured post? Otherwise the insurance provided with Registered post wont cover all of the purchase.

I am really reluctant to do this, it add so much more work to our postage process, but I am also so sick and tired of people complaining of not receiving parcels, not allowing enough time etc etc and we cant track regular post.

Last month a customer was threatening us with their lawyers! They chose regular post, not us!

Cheers
Jazzah

[RodG]

Hi Rod, I have upgraded without any problems (Am I jinxing myself typing this!)

Nah. Upgrades are easy, and if you do mess it up you would know immediately.

I also investigated the insurance/registered post scripts you replied with and decided to go with disabling regular parcel post for parcels. However there is still one dilemma, How can we force customers who are purchasing over teh $100 insurance level of registered post so that they have to pay for registered AND insured post? Otherwise the insurance provided with Registered post wont cover all of the purchase.

The quotes for insured items include the registered post costs, so if/when the regular parcels are disabled, the only quote provided will/should be *either* the registered post (which includes up to $100 insurance), OR if the value is over $100, the insured post, which includes the required $2.95 registration fee.

If for some reason yours is behaing differently then it is probably a bug that got introduced somewhere along the line.

sick and tired of people complaining of not receiving parcels, not allowing enough time etc etc and we cant track regular post.

Last month a customer was threatening us with their lawyers! They chose regular post, not us!

Cheers
Jazzah

Although regular post can't be tracked, what we used to do (when we were heaviliy into sales) was to ensure we kept records (and postal reciepts) for all sales, so if there was ever any problem at least we had something to show the customer that we posted an item weighing XXXgms on the day we said we did, and to their postcode - No, it didn't solve the problem of missing parcels, but it did increase the 'mood' of the customers in that it left very little doubt that it DID go missing in the mail, rather than never posted at all. Needless to say, if the destination postcode is in a capital city then this proof isn't as compelling, but I think it the nature of eCommerce that most of our sales were NOT to capital cities, but more likely to be country sales, where they don't have the same physical shoppong facilities.. All generally speaking of course.

Meanwhile, I also suggest that you ensure you place a claim for each missing item, no matter how large or small, because the more items reported missing, the sooner they are likely to find the thief doing it.

Mail going astray occasionally is to be expected for all manner of reasons, but if it is consitantly going missing to/from certain destinations you can be sure it is the work of an isolated employee/contractor, and THIS is where you should be venting your frustrations, rather than at your customers for choosing non trackable shipping methods.

ANYWAY, sorry about the rant, and hopefully you now realise you don't need to worry about registration AND insurance, because the insurance quotes already include the registration fees. :-)

OTOH, if I have misunderstood your question/problem please try again (I can be slow on the uptake at times).

Cheers
Rod

[jazzah]

..... V2.2.0 UPGRADE.txt ....................


Also check for any new icons. Anytime a new method is added

Ok so I have broken it, I have uploaded the icons in every single icon folder on our server and they are not showing?

Not sure what to do now!

Cheers
Jazzah

[RodG]

Ok so I have broken it, I have uploaded the icons in every single icon folder on our server and they are not showing?

First question: What version are you upgrading to/from? The post that I'm replying to is indicating that you are trying to upgrade from V?.?.? to V2.2.0.

The latest release is V2.2.1

Second question. Where in the installation/upgrade instructions does it state you need to upload the icons to every icon folder on the server?

Now for the (hopefully) helpfull stuff.

If using V2.2.0 OR BELOW the icons need to be located in the
/includes/templates/template_default/images/icons/ folder

If using V2.2.1 (the latest update), the icons need to be relocated into a NEW folder at images/icons/ozpost/

DON'T place them directly into the images/icons folder, you must create the 'ozpost' folder and place them in there. If this is confusing simply forget everything I've just stated and just use the exact same file structure as the distribution files, don't try to manually select where things go..

If the icons are located in
/includes/templates/template_default/images/icons/ in the ZIP file then they NEED to go into the exact same file path on your server.
If they are located in images//icons/ in the ZIP file then they NEED to go into the images//icons/ folder on your server, and if they are located in images/icons/ozpost in the ZIP file then they NEED to go into the images/icons/ozpost folder on your server.
If the folder 'ozpost' doesn't exist on your server it will be automatically created when you copy the images/ folder to your server (assuming you are using filezilla)...

I suspect that you are probably making it hard for yourself by 'manually' selecting what and where to upload the *files*, where in practice you only need to select the top level *folders* and all will be sweet.

With V2.2.0 and below there were only two top level folders, "admin", and "includes".
With V2.2.1 there are three of them "admin", "includes" and 'images'.

If you already have a working ozpost installation you will NOT need to re-upload the "admin" folder contents (although it won't harm anything if you do), so to upgrade, select the two FOLDERS "images" and "includes" and upload them to the top level folder of your store.

If you are selecting the individual files to upload rather than the top level folders then you are doing it wrong and simply asking for trouble,

Does this help or does it add to any confusion?

Cheers
Rod

[jazzah]

Oh Damn, it is too late my brain is fried, the programmer is fixing it for me. The simple things are not always the easiest! lol

thanks for your help Rod, and yes I was just updating from the previous version.

[RodG]

The simple things are not always the easiest!

If you have any suggestions for anything that I can do to make it easier for you then please provide them, but for the life of me, I really can't see how or why you apparently have so much of a problem.

Perhaps your next comment provides a clue

and yes I was just updating from the previous version.

I can understand that this statement makes a lot of sense to you, but if you think about it, it is a nonsensical response to my question....

"What version are you upgrading to/from? The post that I'm replying to is indicating that you are trying to upgrade from V?.?.? to V2.2.0. "

This, to me ia a very specific question that should have resulted in a very specific answer along the line of "I was just upgrading from v2.2.0 to V2.2.1"
The response "I was just updating from the previous version" is nonsensical because
1. No one is ever going to update from a *future* version.
2.The use of 'previous' implies that both you and I know what the *current version* is, and according to your 1st post you were upgradrading to V2.2.0 which *isn't* the current version.

Why I am suggesting that this may be a clue to why you have so many problems is because it seems to me that you seem to view the installation instructions as being as vague as your own comments, rather than the exact/specific instructions that they are ... This is why you end up doing things like " uploaded the icons in every single icon folder on our server".

You are not an idiot, and your brain isn't fried (no matter how much you try to convince me otherwise), I think you are just being lazy. Nothing wrong with that. I'm lazy too, so please don't be offended. Over the years I have earned a lot of money from people lazier than myself (haven't we all?)

Cheers
Rod

ps. Have you ever considered setting up a zencart installation on your home computer and using that to practice any upgrades and/or modifications? Such a setup is also great for testing new modules too (no risk to your live server).

[jazzah]

Hi Rod, it is all fixed now. I was upgrading from 2.2.0 to 2.2.1 I followed the upgrade instructions that you posted, and did not realize the images needed to be placed in a new folder. Then I could not figure out where the new folder needed to be created. I have said this before, I can try to do upgrades, but am in very unfamiliar territory and can stuff it up easily as well. I did the previous upgrade myself with no issues. Oh well, our programmer gets some extra $ from me this month!

Cheers
Jazzah