Skip "Delivery Information" (Method) Page when Weight = 0

I have read the previous posts but can't find an acceptable solution.

I have many products which are downloaded by default, therefore free shipping. However there are attributes (such as send my also a DVD) which add weight to the product when ordered. The page "Delivery Information" appears even when weight = 0 (download only) to confirm "Free Shipping Only" as the only method available.

But I am not allowed to challenge my customers with anything they don't immediately understand, such as "why is a shipping page appearing when I am only downloading (even if it is just to confirm free shipping!)

However, if I make the product "Free Shipping", Zen Cart does not charge for shipping when they add the DVD attribute which weights .1 kg.

The solution is quite simple. I need a master PHP snippet which ALWAYS PROPERLY BYPASSES "Delivery Information" page and assumes the freeshipper method when ever $shipping_weight == 0, regardless of what product types are involved, etc. No weight? skip to step 3. Always. Plain and simple.

P.S. How do I disable the "number_of_uploads" session attribute, its a pain in backside for SEO, generating hundreds of needless duplicate URLs! None of my customers upload anything!

Also, I might add that some downloads are free. How do I skip both STEP 2 and STEP 3 when OT=0 and OW=0? (In other words, I just want the zen cart registration to track the download user, that's all)

I guess what my requests reduce to is this:
No apparently unneccessary steps for any check out. No weight? No step 2 No cost? No step 2 & 3, etc.

And no number_of_uploads

If a Download is setup correctly, you will not see the checkout_shipping page during checkout when only Downloads are in the cart ...

Downloads are NOT Virtual Products ...

Downloads are NOT Always Free Shipping ...

If you have a CD that can be ordered on the same Product, put its weight on the Attribute itself ...

Although we have done a lot of experimentation, right now this is how things stand:

Our Downloads are NOT Virtual Products ...

Our Downloads are NOT Always Free Shipping ...

We have already put weight on the "DVD" Attribute itself ...

Yet the shipping method window still appears:
"Shipping Method:
This is currently the only shipping method available to use on this order."

freeshipper

BTW Zen Cart 1.3.7 because of some customization to templates I doubt we will be upgrading.

Our products do have other attributes that do not carry weight and should not incur shipping, but still could these have any effect?

Have you an URL to one of your products that is not working right on shipping that we could perhaps peek at? :smile:

udos - I have a very similar issue, take a look at

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124607

Perhaps we can collaborate on a solution? I am ready to launch my site if I can resolve my shipping challenges... :frusty:

I would rather not have any URLs posted here. Can I PM some to you instead?

Yes, you may PM me on this one ...

Okay ... you have an interesting scenario on your Downloads ...

What is happening is you have the Download setup but you also have extra attributes for services ...

These services to you are Virtual, but the code doesn't know that ...

You cannot mark the Product as Virtual as it would mess up the shipping by counting the Download product twice rather than once for not allowing shipping and when physical products are in the cart this would be a problem ...

Something is also causing a problem on your listings where Products with attributes are given an input box where any product with attributes should never give an input box ...

What is causing that error I have not been able to reproduce yet ...

There are a few work arounds in how you have things setup, but I have to look further at your products for the "best" solution ...

You have the support as a separate Option Name ...

Is the Download suppose to always be part of these products, even if the CD is ordered ... or is it one or the other?

Quote: Is the Download suppose to always be part of these products, even if the CD is ordered ... or is it one or the other?

Yes the download must always be available.

Aha! there may be a work around for you yet ... :)

Let me think on this for a couple ... I may have a plan to solve this situation ...

May I suggest two admin options with some php code to go with it as a fix:

option 1) Always bypass shipping for 0 weight orders? (y/n)

option 2) Always bypass payment for 0 charge orders? (y/n)

This is basically what I and probably several other users really need - a top level bypass to avoid incorrect Zen Cart behaviour when attributes aren't playing nicely for mysterious reasons (we can go analyze the reason behind behaviour afterwards, but at least the customer will aways see things running correctly with these setting engaged)

In my case there really isn't a lot of changes I can make regarding product attributes themselves. A lot of effort and experience has gone into understanding what arrangement works best for most customers...

Already on the list for weird things ...

I thought the Combo was the solution for most weird stuff ... but you have another ...

However, there is a solution ... and I think it may even work ... :cool:

Because your Download comes regardless of their attribute selections ... put the download on each of the the Service types that they have to pick from on the dropdown ...

Get rid of the Download checkbox ...

Keep the CD checkbox, unchecked and put the weight there ...

NOTE: make sure you have Always Free Shipping and Virtual marked as no ...

Problem with the "always free shipping" is that the Boxes and DVDs have weight which need postage paid.

I don't think we are going to be able to kludge ourselves out of this one.

After re-reading you comment, I need to change my response. I understand you are saying that the shipping method page should not appear if we add the download to the service attributes, correct?

Otherwise we leave everything as-is?

The only problem with that is that it might confuse the customer, wondering why the download is associated with what service option they choose. That might cause new problems. Also, the customer may for a very strange reason decline the download option. They way it is presented now has been very good for our customers to understand that ordering the product will result in an immediate download at checkout, we have had very few problems.

Is there any way to effect the php solution I describe?

At this time, this is the only solution that works ...

If the customer doesn't want the download, they can skip it ...

You can also Edit the Option Name and add a comment that might clarify things ... such as:

Download included with all orders

Otherwise, you are going to always get the shipping page ...

The problem with just marking the $0.00 shipping to skip the page is there isn't an easy way to determine if they get Free Shipping but there is a physical product so you need the shipping information or if there isn't a need for shipping so skip it ...

We will be looking into this further in future releases ... but this is the best work around that I can think of at this time ...

And what about bypassing the payment page for free items?

Right now the code does not know if Free Items means Free Shipping or No Shipping ...

If there is a shipping address, then you need the checkout_shipping ...

Virtual Products can pass the checkout_shipping but then you run into issues with Products that are a combination of Downloads and Virtual and then have physical options or other products with physical and mixing up the Downloads and Virtual ...

This is where adding the download to the services attributes maintains that the shipping isn't needed, which would skip the checkout_shipping, unless the CD is also ordered, and the checkout_shipping is then triggered ...

I see. But what I meant was also skipping the next page for charge = 0 items ("Payment page") which still asks things like special instructions - even for free items. Of course, if the cart includes items costing money we would still need this page.

In future releases it would be good to customize the shopper's experience as I describe in the php suggestion.