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PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

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29 Jun 2015, 5:36 AM
#1
royaldave avatar

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PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

My upgrader rollercoaster ride continues ....

After completing my upgrade from 1.5.1 to 1.5.4 a week ago everything was seemingly working ok... however I have started getting emails from paypal -

Please check your server that handles PayPal Instant Payment Notifications
(IPN). Instant Payment Notifications sent to the following URL(s) are
failing:

http://adelaide.funkyballoons.com.au/zencart/ipn_main_handler.php
http://brisbane.funkyballoons.com.au/zencart/ipn_main_handler.php
http://melbourne.funkyballoons.com.au/zencart/ipn_main_handler.php

If you do not recognize this URL, you may be using a service provider that
is using IPN on your behalf. Please contact your service provider with the
above information. If this problem continues, IPNs may be disabled for your
account.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue.


Sincerely,
PayPal

Any ideas what bit of the upgrade could cause this ? Never had this issue before and have not (to my knowledge) touched any paypal settings or code related to payments.

Orders are coming in fine - I've read some of the forum messages on related issues but not sure if they are relevant to my situation - anyone else has this problem after an upgrade?

29 Jun 2015, 3:23 PM
#2
drbyte avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Three things to investigate:

  1. Click on those links you posted, and see if you get a blank page. If you do, then there's clearly a problem with the ipn_main_handler.php file. But if you get a "Nothing to process. Please return to home page." message, then at least the file is present and not crashing on the basics.

  2. Next, get debug logs from an actual PayPal notification attempt, in order to understand where the code is dying instead of giving PayPal the acknowledgement they're looking for:

  • turn on Debug Logging ("to file" preferably) in the PayPal module settings in your admin.
  • login to your PayPal account, go to the IPN Notifications screen (PayPal Support can tell you how to get to that screen), and click on one of the failed notifications and click Re-Send
  • Then after about 2-5 minutes go look at the PayPal logs on your server ... ie: using FTP, to the /logs/ folder ... You'll need to look at the files named "ipn_xxxxxxxx.log". Post the contents of one of those files that shows that it failed with some error, so we can help you understand what's causing the problem.
    Chances are it's a result of something you've changed on your site related to checkout or payment or stuff you've told your store to do after an order is saved.

NOTE: You posted that it's failing for 3 different stores, so be sure the IPN you have it re-send is for the same store in which you enabled debug-logging, else you won't get any logs to inspect.

  1. Enable the /extras/curltester.php script (yours is blocked right now), and run it from your browser to see what it's saying about communications for PayPal IPN notifications vs CURL.
16 Jul 2015, 4:40 AM
#3
royaldave avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Sorry for the late reply by me. The errors stopped a few days later. I made no changes to fix the issue. Who knows???

16 Jul 2015, 6:00 PM
#4
drbyte avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

It could have been an issue on PayPal's end. Or a routing problem in your hosting company's servers that they sorted out.

21 Aug 2015, 8:16 AM
#5
david_r_1 avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

DrByte:

It could have been an issue on PayPal's end. Or a routing problem in your hosting company's servers that they sorted out.

Not sure if this is still an issue for you, but it started for us at about the same time with no changes to our site or servers. On my third round with PayPal support, armed with logs, etc., they admitted that they were having problems with it and told me to just ignore the messages.

I pointed out that after sending enough messages their system would disable our payments page.
They explained that it was OK, because I could log into the PayPal account area and re-enable it each time...(!)

After a while, we got less and less of the error messages.

So - in case you're still having trouble with it - it was PayPal, PayPal, PayPal... and if they deactivate your page you can reactivate it.

8 Jul 2018, 9:16 AM
#6
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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Please check your server that handles PayPal Instant Payment Notifications (IPN). Instant Payment Notifications sent to the following URL(s) are failing: http://transportpostcards.co.uk/shop/ipn_main_handler.php

  1. Click on those links you posted, and see if you get a blank page. If you do, then there's clearly a problem with the ipn_main_handler.php file. But if you get a "Nothing to process. Please return to home page." message, then at least the file is present and not crashing on the basics.

I only get to this point number one!

My file comes up a blank page, after getting these messages, and its the same file as it has been for a long time and so was working fine.
Since a few issues with paypal, maybe their updates, my store is no longer sending the NEW ORDER emails to either admin or the customer.
Paypal is taking the money again, however there is something that was working now isnt. PayPal have tried to assit, so has my host and it comes back to Zencart each time. Maybe the PHP 5.6.30 is causing issues. Bit baffled, on where to look, but maybe logs in my store and PayPal.

8 Jul 2018, 1:17 PM
#7
mc12345678 avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Dinnages:

I only get to this point number one!

My file comes up a blank page, after getting these messages, and its the same file as it has been for a long time and so was working fine.
Since a few issues with paypal, maybe their updates, my store is no longer sending the NEW ORDER emails to either admin or the customer.
Paypal is taking the money again, however there is something that was working now isnt. PayPal have tried to assit, so has my host and it comes back to Zencart each time. Maybe the PHP 5.6.30 is causing issues. Bit baffled, on where to look, but maybe logs in my store and PayPal.

Having tried the site that is in your signature (not sure if this is the site having a problem or not) which is: ```
http://transportpostcards. co. uk/shop

As to the php version, in order to have a frame of reference or to provide much of any additional assistance, please answer the posting tips questions. Knowing that the php version is 5.6.30 means very little without knowing other relevant facts. This is ever more important when chiming in on one or more threads about an issue.
8 Jul 2018, 7:28 PM
#8
dinnages avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Thanks **mc12345678** your response what quite enlightening
The file extras/curltester.php script is there but doesnt show anything but a blank page.

This bit however worked, and gave no bad response.

IPNCHECK.PHP - Version 1.3.9
CURL RESPONSE RECEIVED - Communications OKAY
IPN TESTING - Response Received via CURL -- COMMUNICATIONS OKAY
IPN TESTING - Confirmation/Validation response with fsockopen(): FSOCKOPEN() RESPONSE RECEIVED - Communications OKAY
Default method likely to be used for communications is: CURL, with the fallback method being FSOCKOPEN if possible.
Script finished.

I can write html & script but not understand php
What chould I post about the site, as I thought the PHP version was all important, to match the cart software running and my host.
My admin states (TEXT_CURRENT_VER_IS v1.3.9h) while I have been attempting to migrate to a much newer version if I can copy across all my data.

8 Jul 2018, 8:04 PM
#9
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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

My admin states (TEXT_CURRENT_VER_IS v1.3.9h) while I have been attempting to migrate to a much newer version if I can copy across all my data.
Best to consider a rebuild versus upgrade. Lot of things happened since 1.3.9.

https://www.zen-cart.com/entry.php?3-How-do-I-rebuild-my-site-on-the-new-version-instead-of-upgrading

8 Jul 2018, 8:33 PM
#10
mc12345678 avatar

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Re: PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Php version is important to match up against Zen Cart Version. Right now I would say that the issues experienced with checkout are related to the mismatch of php version with store software. Suggest following the instruction provided by dbltoe and work to get your store up as soon as possible. Even if it doesn't look pristine, it at least can make money. I apologize if there was a question that did not get answered. I wasn't sure if one had been asked.