AUSTPost module

I catch your drift - just given you a plateload of work! But only if you want it. Be nice though, to perfectly reflect the Austpost quotes.

No rush - tomorrow morning's fine! :smile:

RodG:

....

As for adding dimensions to products, Although it is good to do so (for accuracy), there really is no need to do them all.

Sorry for barging in... I have a problem entering individual dimensions in the catalogue. After upgrading Zen Cart to the latest version, the option of entering dimensions disappeared. How do I get it back?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Greetings from Canberra,

Ron B.

ronb10:

Sorry for barging in... I have a problem entering individual dimensions in the catalogue. After upgrading Zen Cart to the latest version, the option of entering dimensions disappeared. How do I get it back?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Greetings from Canberra,

Ron B.

There are a couple of files in the /admin/ directory of the AustPost Improved distribution archive. Re-replace these and all will be fine.

Cheers
Rod

RodG:

There are a couple of files in the /admin/ directory of the AustPost Improved distribution archive. Re-replace these and all will be fine.

Cheers
Rod

Thanks Rod! That did the trick. Why I haven't copied those files before is beyond me... Old age, I suppose...

Have a good day,

Ron B.

I am having a problem with international shipping. When a customer enters their country from the dropdown menu, they are unable to get a postage quote as an error always comes up.

AustPostERROR:Unable to obtain a valid quote from the Australia Post Server.
You may still checkout using this method and we will contact you with postage costs as soon as possible.

This has been like this since the start and it's always, so probably not a Aust Post server problem and I cannot for the life of me work out how to fix the problem or where to even start looking for it.

I did start a thread some time ago but got no reply so, I'm hoping some here can help me.

Thanks
Anna

https://www.toycrazy.com.au

I think you need to set the other countries up in >Locations/Taxes, >Zones Definitions to get them to work with the Auspost module.

I have set up a Zone 'Rest of World' & included the countries I would expect to get orders from most typically (NZ, USA, UK etc)

I hope this helps.

Katie
https://www.live2knit.com.au

annav:

I am having a problem with international shipping.

This may seem like a dumb question, but have you actually got any overseas shipping methods selected?

Which ones?

According to the log files your store isn't even attempting to obtain a quote for overseas shipping (the same logs show perfectly valid data for the Australian methods).

The only possible reason I can think of for this occurrence is that you have don't have any valid overseas methods enabled.

I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with the zone files (as suggested by another member), mainly on account of the fact that the Austpost module doesn't use the zone files.

annav:

I did start a thread some time ago but got no reply so, I'm hoping some here can help me.

Thanks
Anna

www.toycrazy.com.au

Sorry. I didn't see the other thread (until now). I only tend to do a search for "Austpost", and that particular text wasn't in the original thread.

I note that you stated that you enabled the overseas method when you started that thread, and that there was no apparent change. I suspect that because of this you disabled them again? (until now?)

Please be advised that when making changes to the shipping methods you will need to close the currently open web browser (store side, not admin side) for the changes to come into effect. I've been caught out by this many times myself.

Hope this helps. If not, please send me a private message with your store admin login details (if willing) and I'll see what I can determine from there.

Cheers
Rod

Hey All,

I have just updated my old aus post module to the latest austpost.. i seem to be having an odd problem.

First off i noticed that when i log into an existing account and purchase something i get an error

(ERROR:Unable to obtain a valid quote from the Australia Post Server.
You may still checkout using this method and we will contact you with postage costs as soon as possible.)

I have FEC checkout installed and i scroll down and there are shipping options available so it seems the cheapest option is not being selected first.

After some more testing if i add soemthing to the cart as a new customer and create an account it seems to work and the cheapest shipping is selected and no error is shown....

I have it set up as dimesnions of 30,30,30 and weight in kgs.

My website is https://www.truwater.com.au...

Anyone have any idea what the problem is?

gee38l:

Hey All,

I have just updated my old aus post module to the latest austpost.. i seem to be having an odd problem.

First off i noticed that when i log into an existing account and purchase something i get an error

(ERROR:Unable to obtain a valid quote from the Australia Post Server.
You may still checkout using this method and we will contact you with postage costs as soon as possible.)

Not sure what that'd be. A temporary network glitch, user address in the existing account doesn't have a valid mail address or country code. The possibilities are endless.

gee38l:

I have FEC checkout installed and i scroll down and there are shipping options available so it seems the cheapest option is not being selected first.

I've no idea what the "FEC checkout" is or does.

The selection of the cheapest shipping option isn't a function of the shipping modules. It is a function of the zencart core code.

gee38l:

After some more testing if i add soemthing to the cart as a new customer and create an account it seems to work and the cheapest shipping is selected and no error is shown....

There are two different issues at play here. They may or may not be related.

gee38l:

I have it set up as dimesnions of 30,30,30 and weight in kgs.

Of course, we all instinctinctively know what "it" is. <wink>

gee38l:

My website is www.truwater.com.au...

Anyone have any idea what the problem is?

Just went to your site. Added the first item I saw to the cart. Didn't get any errors or problems. However, I'm not an 'existing' customer, and you have already stated that it works fine as a new customer, which effectively means I can't really debug it for you.

However, the first thing I'd be checking is the user data of the existing users, or at least the ones giving you trouble.
The AustPost module needs a country code, and if AU, a postcode.

If either of these are missing you'll get the quotation error.

It may be possible that the data is valid, but that it hadn't been initialised at the time of the quote request. Off hand I can't think of a situation where this might occur, but it is something to consider.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers
RodG

Thanks for the reply,

Seems to be a network issue... now it seems to work on most products.

I just noticed something else... with terms of product quantities sometimes customer will order 15 + items of the same type but i just did a test and ordered 10+ items and it kept giving me the same error so i lowered it to 9 of the same item and it worked.... i then tried i different product and same thing you order 10 or more and you get the same error, you order 9 or less and it works.... and on several other items same error.

I also just found another issue....

Please have a look at the attached jpg.

It seems that if insurance is not available it moves the website to the left and the error message is right at the top above the header.....

gee38l:

Thanks for the reply,

Seems to be a network issue... now it seems to work on most products.

I just noticed something else... with terms of product quantities sometimes customer will order 15 + items of the same type but i just did a test and ordered 10+ items and it kept giving me the same error so i lowered it to 9 of the same item and it worked.... i then tried i different product and same thing you order 10 or more and you get the same error, you order 9 or less and it works.... and on several other items same error.

This is probably because 10+ items is exceeding either the weight or dimension limits imposed by Australia post.

You'll need to provide alternative shipping methods under these circumstances.

Cheers
Rod

gee38l:

I also just found another issue....

Please have a look at the attached jpg.

It seems that if insurance is not available it moves the website to the left and the error message is right at the top above the header.....

I guess you can call that a bit of a bug. The error message is/was primarily for debugging purposes, and was left in the distributed code.

The error message itself is legitimate in that AustPost will only insure up to a certain amount (I forget the actual figures offhand).

If you feel this is going to be an issue for you, the quick n easy solution would be to search the austpost.php code for the text string "unable to insure" and comment it out.

Cheers
Rod

PS. The Insurance is based on the total cost of the items and doesn't take any discounts into account (mainly because these aren't known by the module at the time of the quotations).

Is the aust post server down just had a few customers email me saying that its not working, i just tested it myself and can confirm its not working????

gee38l:

Is the aust post server down just had a few customers email me saying that its not working, i just tested it myself and can confirm its not working????

Logs indicate that there isn't and hasn't been any problems with the servers.

Cheers
Rod

RodG:

Logs indicate that there isn't and hasn't been any problems with the servers.

Cheers
Rod

Ok i seem to have intermitant problems with aust post shipping.. I have tested it on several differnet internet connections and sometimes experience error and sometimes dont (same product/dimensions and weights)

I know im probably being a pain but i just want to ask something about the shipping image being displayed in the invoice etc....

I just looked at one of my invoices and if you have a look at the jpg there seems to be missing something?

Also how do i remove the () around the image in the checkout and invoice etc?

Thanks

gee38l:

Ok i seem to have intermitant problems with aust post shipping.. I have tested it on several differnet internet connections and sometimes experience error and sometimes dont (same product/dimensions and weights)

When testing "on several differnet internet connections", do you mean as a client browsing the store, OR do you mean you've tried zencart itself on a 'different internet connection"?

If the former, you aren't really proving anything. The quotes rely on the connectivity of the zencart server to the quotation servers. Where the 'client' is connecting from is of no relevance.

As I said, the servers haven't been down for a LONG time (months), so your problem is almost certain to be on your server hosts side of things. Many 'shared' hosts are grossly overloaded and intermittent timeouts are not uncommon.

Cheers
Rod

Well i thought it was my internet connection but it seems its not. Is there maybe some settings i need to change my hosting is net logistics.. they seem to be pretty good and have heard nothing but positive feedback. I received several orders today and have received no complaints.. so for now im going to assume its ok.

gee38l:

I know im probably being a pain

Nah. The only 'pains' are those that ask questions and promply ignore (or worse, argue) with the answers.

gee38l:

but i just want to ask something about the shipping image being displayed in the invoice etc....

I just looked at one of my invoices and if you have a look at the jpg there seems to be missing something?

The code relating to the image display (in the AustPost module) is/was badly thought out and poorly designed. (fortunately nothing that can't be tolerated).

An upgrade to fix this issue was planned for several months ago, but due to a failed RAID controller I lost a lot of code that needs to be reconstructed. I'm hoping I'll be back on track with it over the Xmas break.

gee38l:

Also how do i remove the () around the image in the checkout and invoice etc?

Thanks

Unfortunately, these characters are generated/inserted from various places in the zencart core code, so the only way to get rid of them is to use a find 'n' delete in any code where they are being produced. There's probably only a couple of places and files that need to be changed for this, but because they aren't part of the AustPost module (or its required files) it isn't something I've done myself. I've learned to live with them.

Cheers
Rod