ozpost shipping module

Arliss61:

For the past week my shipping estimator has been showing an error message:

I assumed this was due to the server problem Rod posted about but as he has advised that the Ozpost server has been restored, does anyon else have any idea what might be wrong?

I notice someone else had the same problem but couldn't find a response.

thanks

This is a new one on me. Is it consistant or intermittent?

Cheers
Rod

p1drobert:

Hi,

I've just tried the new Ozpost module. I was previously using the AUStpost_improved version but that seems to have stopped working due to the server being down at Australia post.

Unfortunately I can't seem to get the OZpost module working either. I've installed it but when I click on "estimate postage" or just travel through the checkout process I just get a blank screen. If I do a refresh of the page it seems to show the appropriate shopping cart page but there are no shipping options listed. There are no errors shown.
I'm using zencart 1.3.8, on a Zues server. My host provider uses shared sessions if thats an important factor.

does anyone have any ideas as to what this is?

Possibly need PHP5

ferreirabraga:

Hi Rod,

I would like to suggest one thing.
I was using the austPost module and I didn't know that it is no longer supported and didn't know about the ozPost.
Could you edit the austpost module download page and say that is no longer supported and also put the link to ozPost download page.I think this way everybody will migrate to ozPost and avoid problems.

Which was my case!

Cheers!

Too much turmoil to even consider at this stage. However, this is GPL software, so anyone is welcome/encouraged to take up your suggestion.

RodG:

Possibly need PHP5

Hi, Rod:

Just checked that The version for PHP is 5.2.9. But still have the problem as above.

Do you have any idea how to resolove it?

Cheers

Jimmy

RodG:

If you have debug enabled, then disable it and the problem should go away.

If debug is not enabled, then you may have found a bug (how ironic, eh), in which case, please remind me about it in a few weeks.

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,

thanks for your response. no, debug mode is not on, so it might be a bug then ?

If you have time, we shall await the new fix for that. thanks :)

Jimmyyu1998:

Hi, Rod:
Just checked that The version for PHP is 5.2.9. But still have the problem as above.

Do you have any idea how to resolove it?

Cheers

Jimmy

So many people with so many problems, some due to still using the obsolete AustPost module, some because they don't have php5 installed/enabled, and some with as yet undiagnosed problems.
I'm startting to lose track with who is suffering which problem.

Anyway, to sum up the current situation and resolve most, if not all problems.

**This is general info for everyone **(I just happened to pick you message to reply too).

1. Ensure you are using ozpost and not AustPost.

2. Ensure PHP5 is installed and enabled.

3. If problems persist (and in some cases they will) please download the zip file that is posted here:
   http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6437&d=1252290889

IMPORTANT: This link does NOT provide a "full" set of distribution files, but it does provide an updated ozpost.php file that fixes a somewhat 'rare' problem (details elude me at the moment).

If after performing all 3 steps above you STILL have a problem, please enable the debug option and see if that gives any clues.. it is most likely something amiss with your input data (items too heavy or large for Australia Post).

Unlike the AustPost module, the ozpost module doesn't make any attempt to split large/heavy items into smaller parcels. This is because a lot of people were finding the parcels were being split in ways that weren't physically possible.

Hopefully this info will help solve a few issues for a few people.

For anyone waiting and hoping that the old AustPost module will ever start to work again, the answer is NO. This module has already been supplying incorrect quotes since Australia Post increased their prices back in July.

Cheers
Rod.

RodG:

This is a new one on me. Is it consistant or intermittent?

Hi Rod

Thanks. I can see how busy you are.

Well it looks permanent now. I assumed from the error message there was something wrong with the ozpost.php file in includes/modules so I renamed the old one x ozpost.php and uploaded the original file.

Initially I though it was fixed because the shopping cart didn't show the error message just the estimator with walk in as the only option.

OK, maybe I needed to reconfigure the shipping options so I went to the shipping module in my control panel to open Ozpost but have the following:

Warning: include(/home/charcool/public_html/shop/includes/languages/english/modules/shipping/x ozpost.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/charcool/public_html/shop/admin/modules.php on line 174

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/home/charcool/public_html/shop/includes/languages/english/modules/shipping/x ozpost.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/charcool/public_html/shop/admin/modules.php on line 174

Fatal error: Cannot redeclare class ozpost in /home/charcool/public_html/shop/includes/modules/shipping/**x ozpost.php **on line 783

So I can't open the module to uninstall or change any options from the control panel and the original error message in the shopping cart has reappeared.

For some reason it appears to be stuck looking for the x ozpost.php file and I can't open any of the modules (eg FREE SHIPPING!) in the control panel.

I know you are very busy at present but hopefully it'll ring some bells

cheers

Hi,

I'm desperate for some help. (aren't we all) :smile:

I've install the new ozpost_V1-0-2 and then the patch ozpost_gif_icons

I'm getting the following XML parsing error from line 253 in the auspost.php module.

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::__construct() [simplexmlelement.--construct]: Entity: line 1: parser error : Start tag expected, '<' not found in /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 352

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::__construct() [simplexmlelement.--construct]: 4a in /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 352

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::__construct() [simplexmlelement.--construct]: ^ in /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 352

resulting in this fatel error;

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'String could not be parsed as XML' in /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php:352 Stack trace: #0 /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php(352): SimpleXMLElement->__construct('4a??<?xml versi...') #1 /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/classes/shipping.php(114): ozpost->quote('') #2 /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping_estimator.php(133): shipping->quote() #3 /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/templates/template_default/popup_shipping_estimator/tpl_main_page.php(16): require('/home/homann/pu...') #4 /home/homann/public_html/store/index.php(97): require('/home/homann/pu...') #5 {main} thrown in /home/homann/public_html/store/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 352

As line 253 is

 $xml = new SimpleXMLElement($qu)  ;

My guess is that the errior is in the presceeding line;

    $qu = $this->_getAPdata($SERVER, "/postage.php?fromcode=" . MODULE_SHIPPING_OZPOST_SPCODE ."&destcode=$dcode&weight=$parcelweight&height=$parcelheight&width=$parcelwidth&length=$parcellength&value=$ordervalue&flags=$flags&$method=$method&host=$HOST&version=$VERSION") ;

Can anyone help me figure out what is going on?

Thanks,

Peter.

Arliss61:

so I renamed the old one x ozpost.php and uploaded the original file.

Rename this again so that it doesn't end in ",php"

Cheers
Rdo

this is probably a totally nOOB question but I have just updated the shipping module (installed) and got rid of the old Austpost one..

But now when I go to check out I have no Shipping Displaying just "Store Pickup"

And yeah I have the module installed and setup .. Am I missing something stupid.. I have been trawlling through here for about 2hrs looking for info.. But I'm coming up with nothing...

baldcat:

this is probably a totally nOOB question but I have just updated the shipping module (installed) and got rid of the old Austpost one..

But now when I go to check out I have no Shipping Displaying just "Store Pickup"

And yeah I have the module installed and setup .. Am I missing something stupid.. I have been trawlling through here for about 2hrs looking for info.. But I'm coming up with nothing...

ah ok so it thinks the items are KG not grams, even though nothing has changed on the site only the shipping module and I have gms selected in the ozpost admin section... will keep digging..

I'm getting a blank main_page=checkout_shipping page.. God I hate Zen-cart (most of the time)

RodG:

Possibly need PHP5

Dear Rod,

Thank you for your reply. I know all to well how stressfull it can be when everything goes wrong at once, and you're the only one available who can fix it.

Switching to php5 half worked. The estimate shipping window now comes up ok, but when proceeding through to checkout the screen still goes blank. Once I did a refresh and it came out ok, but after that all I got was blank screen.

I'll fool around some more with it myself and try to pin down the problem.

Thanks Rod.

Rod

You are wise in the way of PHP :) I now have my control panel back.

RodG:

Rename this again so that it doesn't end in ",php"

Cheers
Rdo

However the original fatal error persists

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::__construct() [simplexmlelement.--construct]: Entity: line 1: parser error : Start tag expected, '<' not found in.../shop/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 345

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::__construct() [simplexmlelement.--construct]: 6d in .../shop/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 345

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::__construct() [simplexmlelement.--construct]: ^ in ....shop/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 345

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'String could not be parsed as XML' in /shop/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php:345 Stack trace: #0 /shop/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php(345): SimpleXMLElement->__construct('6d??<?xml versi...') #1 /shop/includes/classes/shipping.php(114): ozpost->quote('') #2 /shop/includes/modules/shipping_estimator.php(133): shipping->quote() #3 /shop/includes/templates/charcool/templates/tpl_shopping_cart_default.php(173): require('/home/charcool/...') #4 shop/includes/templates/charcool/common/tpl_main_page.php(121): require('/home/charcool/...') #5 /home/charcool/public_html/shop/index.php(97): require('/home/charcool/...') #6 {main} thrown in /home/charcool/public_html/shop/includes/modules/shipping/ozpost.php on line 345

and appears to be the same one Peter http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpost.php?p=785651&postcount=228 is referring to although the line number is different.

For him it's line 253 for me 345 but the ozpost.php code is identical:

$xml = new SimpleXMLElement($qu) ;

In debug mode a quote is being sought from the Ozpost server and contact made.

In the first instance the error message above appears in the shopping cart, if I refresh the screen, the estimator pops up: sometimes with just the "Walk In" option or on some products that I haven't already selected (so non cached quotes I guess?) with a quote for all AP domestic Shipping options not just the ones selected in the contol panel and with different handling costs to those nominated in the Ozpost set up.

In Ozpost I have selected only registered and express parcel options, both with with a $4 handling charge, but this is what I get back after I refresh the shopping cart when it presents the fatal error message:

Aussie Post 0 0 days Est Delivery (Includes $0.00 Packaging & Handling ). $0.00
Aussie Post 3Kg Prepaid Satchel 3 3 days Est Delivery (Includes $0.00 Packaging & Handling ). $9.90
Aussie Post 3kg Prepaid Satchel Express 1 1 days Est Delivery (Includes $0.00 Packaging & Handling ). $11.30
Aussie Post Regular Parcel 3 3 days Est Delivery (Includes $0.00 Packaging & Handling ). $11.50
Aussie Post Cash On Delivery 4 4 days Est Delivery (Includes $0.00 Packaging & Handling ). $21.70
Aussie Post Registered Parcel 4 4 days Est Delivery (Includes $8.00 Packaging & Handling +$ 2.8 fee). $22.30
Aussie Post Express Parcel 1 1 days Est Delivery (Includes $8.00 Packaging & Handling ). $29.50

Any clues? And thanks again for helping get my control panel back.

cheers

Gene

Arliss61:

Rod
You are wise in the way of PHP :) I now have my control panel back.

Technically speaking, that was a 'zencart' issue in that zencart loads any file it finds with a .php extension.
Needless to say, I learned this from experience in having done exactly the same thing that you did. Had me going around in circles for several hours trying to figure out what I'd broken.

Arliss61:

However the original fatal error persists

<snip> with a quote for all AP domestic Shipping options not just the ones selected in the contol panel

OK, this is 'normal' operation. The debug mode is designed to show what is being returned by the server before any filtering based on the control panel selections.

This is telling us that the connection to the server is all ok. Well, at least during those time that you get a response.

As for the fatal errors, is this still occurring (from the time you read this reply?)

If so, then it still needs further investigation, but if all is working ok now I think I know the cause.

It appears that there was a glitch in the DNS records when we changed the delegation to the new servers. Instead of the old nameservers being replaced by the new ones, they were added in addition too the old ones, This meant that 2 of the 4 nameservers were pointing to the correct (new) quotation servers, but the other 2 were still pointing to the old servers (offline).

The end result being that approx every second quote request was being directed to a server that no longer exists.

Changes to DNS delegations can take up to 24hours to propergate around the globe, which is why it took a couple of days for the ill effects to show, a day or two for me to realise what the heck was going on, and now another couple of days for the now corrected information to repropergate.

I only made this discovery about 20hours ago, so some servers may still have invalid data.... All being well things should be fully stabilised within the next day (tops), but most servers should already be feeding out correct information.

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,

I'm currently using the AusPost (Serna) module, and have realised that there are now newer modules to replace it.

I've just spent a couple of hours downloading and reading up about the AusPost - Improved module, trying to see if I could expect any issues moving from the old to the new. At the last minute, I stumbled across a post which mentioned 'Ozpost'!

On checking out Ozpost, I found your comment 'Replacement module for the "AustPost Improved" (which is no longer supported)'.

I really hadn't had a hint that "Improved" wasn't the definitive Australia Post calc module until that point!

Would it be possible to add a comment to the **AusPost **and AusPost - Improved download pages to alert people to the fact that they have been replaced by OzPost?

Thanks!

Am also having the "Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'String could not be parsed as XML'" error reported by others in ozpost, on line 345.

Have just upgraded to php 5.2.10 so not sure if that is related to the problem or not..? It doesn't matter how many times I refresh, I always get a blank page and do not get it coming up every second or third time as I would expect if it was a DNS problem. Turning on debug mode for the module returns a whole lot of info about package data which suggests to me it is communicating with the server? Looks like the problem is something to do with how the response is parsed by the module...? Don't understand enough about object oriented code or xml to be able to debug this but just wanted to flag that another person was having this same problem.

Look forward to a solution or ideas that will help.... Any help with this problem appreciated!

skybluepunk:

Hi Rod,

I'm currently using the AusPost (Serna) module, and have realised that there are now newer modules to replace it.

I have nothing to do with the AusPost module.
I created AustPost improved (several years ago) as an improved alternative. If Serna's module has been working for you there would be no reason why it shouldn't continue to work. In which case I suggest you stay with it at least until I can resolve all of the current issues going on with ozpost.

skybluepunk:

Would it be possible to add a comment to the **AusPost **and AusPost - Improved download pages to alert people to the fact that they have been replaced by OzPost?

Thanks!

Personally I wouldn't/couldn't do this with Serna's module, it wouldn't be right for me to do so as I am the author of an alternative to his module.

Being the author of both AustPost - Improved and ozpost I could in good conscience suggest that ozpost has superceded the AustPost module, but as has been highlighted, the ozpost module is still quite new and hasn't had a good long test like the austPost module (which until recently gave people the option as to whether to upgrade or not.

As a result of our current server issues, this choice has now been removed because the AustPost - Improved module is no longer operational, but I simply have far to many other more important issues to deal with before even considering updating the download page to reflect this information. THERE IS NO REASON WHY SOMEONE ELSE CAN'T DO IT though.

The current situation isn't pretty.

Serna's module may or may not work. It isn't affected by our current server issues.

AustPost - Improved will only be able to quote for parcels (no letters or satchels), and will probably be somewhat intermittent anyway, and will probably need 'patching' for reliable operation so that it only uses the 'drc.edeliver.com' server and not the 'austpost.vcsweb.com' server.

The ozpost module (the only module that I now support) should be working and fully functional, but it does need your ISP to support php5.

There may still be an issue with the ozpost module that produces .xml errors, I'm hoping this is a transient issue because some DNS servers are handing out stale data. I/we need to wait a couple of days for the DNS to stabilise before I can determine if this is the case or not.

If things do stabilise then all problems are solved.
If .xml problems with ozpost still exist in a couple of days then there is probably an as yet undetermined bug in the code that has only just revealed itself and will need further investigation.

Hopefully this clarifies the situation.

Rgds
Rod

Just an idea - In the interim could we change our ozpost modules to bypass DNS resolution and go straight to the correct server on the IP? Could you post the IP addresses of the "correct" servers so we could put them in to test whether it's a DNS resolution issue....?

belabela:

Just an idea - In the interim could we change our ozpost modules to bypass DNS resolution and go straight to the correct server on the IP? Could you post the IP addresses of the "correct" servers so we could put them in to test whether it's a DNS resolution issue....?

Using the IP won't work. Like almost every ISP on the planet we use name based hosting (which makes it possible to host more than one domain on a single server).

Testing is easy. Use the following link:

http://ozpost.vcsweb.com/postage.php?fromcode=5000&destcode=2000&weight=1000&height=100&width=100&length=100&value=100

If you get a valid response you are connecting to the right server. Anything else would suggest a probably DNS problem.

Feel free to change the postcodes, weights, dimensions, etc in the link if you wish to experiment.

Some web browsers display the resultant page in a more readible form than others (I suggest you use firefox).

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,

Thanks for your prompt reply, and the detailed update.

The original AusPost is working fine for me at the moment, but I'm looking forward to using the extended capabilities of OzPost once it's all sorted.

Hope it all calms down for you soon :-)