Protx VSP Direct v2.0.0

Right, I did set it to Live. Protx Support seem to think that it's somehow going to the wrong URL. Is that impossible?

The URL's the mod uses are hardcoded in includes/modules/payment/protx_direct.php:

        switch (MODULE_PAYMENT_PROTX_DIRECT_TRANSACTION_MODE) {
            case 'Live':
                $url = 'https://ukvps.protx.com/vpsDirectAuth/PaymentGateway.asp';
                break;
            case 'Test':
                $url = 'https://ukvpstest.protx.com/vpsDirectAuth/PaymentGateway.asp';
                break;
            case 'VSP Simulator':
                $url = 'https://ukvpstest.protx.com/VSPSimulator/VSPDirectGateway.asp';
                break;
        }

So they should be going to the right URL.

If it's not working, what errors are you getting?

Hi,

I have got in contact with lemuria privately about this. There is nothing wrong with her protx/Zen Cart set up so we can consider this a "case closed" as far as this thread goes.

Unfortunately her apache installation isn't working correctly and is failing with a 503 error when particular error messages are to be displayed in Zen Cart, due to some strange URL parsing problem on her server. The problems have nothing to do with Zen Cart, Protx or the Protx Direct module (thankfully ;) ).

Thanks again Pixxi for taking time to help others out here! :)

All the best...

Conor

Just a FYI for anyone who has a customer with problems going through checkout with a Visa debit card.

It seems some Visa debit cards have an issue number on them - the Halifax debit card, for example.

If the customer enters the issue number on checkout the transaction can fail with a decline from the bank. If you contact the customer and obtain the card details to process through VSP terminal, putting the issue number in VSP terminal will fail with an error (in the Protx VSP admin) similar to: 'The issue number is malformed or invalid'. The transaction will process fine if no issue number is entered.

Protx tech support have also said that an issue number entered as '01' is not seen as the same (by the Protx system) as an issue number entered as '1' - apparently, each digit is taken separately - so if it says '01' on the card, then '01' needs to be entered.
Good fun :smile:

Of course, we can put 'Switch/Solo only' next to the Issue No. and 'Start date' entry fields in checkout to try to prevent this, but some customers don't always read ..

Might it be an idea to have the issue No. and Start date fields only appear if Switch/Maestro is chosen from the drop-down?

BTW, Protx tech support say that the integration details/callbacks for 3D Secure are now available - but only, so far, in the ASP integration kit (the PHP kit is not yet published):

http://techsupport.protx.com/downloads.asp

Hi,

This is the problem I was talking about before. Our clients have the same problem, so for the past few months they've been displaying the following message on their site, just above the Start Date/Issue Number:

You need to fill in the following fields ONLY if the information is on your card. NOTE: Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Abbey customers do not need to enter an issue number.

Protx keep saying that 3D secure will be applied to accounts, blah, blah, blah, "soon" but it's almost April and I've still not had my account upgraded. I'm not impressed with their service much any longer... but then they are at least good value for money.

What I have said to them previously and what annoys me is that you can use your Halifax card at Amazon and put in the issue number and Amazon's payment processor doesn't mess up but protx does. Protx claim this isn't their problem... well why can Amazon get it to work then? (Bet no-one at Protx has a good answer for that!)

I'm under the understanding that moving to Authorise/Authenticate will stop these issues occurring. If it doesn't then I think drumming up a bit of dissent from all of us here and going to Protx en masse would be the next logical step... they aren't listening to me! :)

As far as 3D secure goes, I can easily convert ASP code to PHP. The problem is, despite repeated requests, I'm constantly told that my account will be "upgraded soon". Why is it that so many companies that have such easy jobs (process a card number, take a cut of the order value etc.) can be run so badly in the end? :down:

Agh well... rant over! :)

I have been holding off releasing version 2.0.5 as I keep thinking Protx will move things on... I'll speak to them again early next week and if no progress is made I release the latest version of the code which allows you to specify a custom message above the start date/issue number. Maybe I'll even upgrade it to hide those fields using javascript as you described.

I'd rather Protx just worked though! ;)

All the best...

Conor

Hi Conor,

Ah .. I must have missed your earlier post when you mentioned that. :)

Strangely, I had a look at an Abbey (business account) Visa debit card today and there is no issue number - so maybe it's just on non-business accounts (?).

I also saw a Halifax Visa debit card - there was an issue number tucked away at the end of the sort code/account number line, but it wasn't described as 'Issue No.' (ie no text before it). Perhaps (hopefully...) it's mainly a problem with older cards.

While I was talking to Protx tech support today the tech guy mentioned that 3D secure had been enabled on the account I was discussing - and sure enough it is enabled on the live account, although not on the test account.

If your client doesn't have his account enabled soon, I can give you access through my client's account to the test server if you wish - assuming Protx will enable 3D on the test server (which would be sensible so we can test it out before going live with it anyway).

I'll email Protx now and ask them.

Hi Conor,

I have 3D enabled on our Protx test server now - let me know if you would like to use it.

Hi,

Just got off the phone with Protx's technical support. Was speaking to a very helpful guy who was able to answer all my questions.

Protx are getting reading to roll out a test of the Authenticate/Authorise Authorisation Types over the next week or so... good news indeed! That means I can begin testing on it shortly.

I've made them aware of the problems with Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Abbey cards so hopefully they'll be sorting those out soon (cards being declined if an issue number is entered).

I've also had 3D secure enabled on my test account so I can start updating the module to support it.

All in all, a refreshingly helpful chat with a technical support department.. hats off to the guys at Protx's tech support! :smile:

All the best...

Conor

Hi

Is it OK to setup and use 3D secure with Protx?

I presume that the current version will not have a problem with 3DS but the new version will perhaps report the result back to zencart?

Obviously I want to set up 3DS rules as well as cvv rules to limit fraud.

Just about to go live and everything seems to be OK so far.

Thanks

Craig

Hi,

The current version of the module does not support 3D Secure.

I've looked into how 3D secure works and know exactly how I'm going to go about integrating it with this module.

However, it's a considerable amount of work so I'm not going to start on it until next week. How long it will take to release may very well depend on how many people are willing to donate towards implementing 3D secure as we can't afford to develop it for free at this time (it really is too much work to be done quickly with just a few hours of development time allocated each week).

All the best...

Conor

Hi and thanks for the prompt reply.

I presume that I should NOT turn on 3DS with Protx then or the system will break?

As soon as I am live and accepting payments, I shall certainly donate.

Thanks for all the help.

Craig

Hi,

CES:

I presume that I should NOT turn on 3DS with Protx then or the system will break?

Unfortunately you must keep 3D Secure switched off otherwise all transactions that could possibly use 3D secure will be declined.

(Instead of receiving the response "OK", 3D Secure transactions send back a response "3DAUTH", which is treated the same as "NOT OK" by the module at this time ;) ).

Glad to be of help! :)

All the best...

Conor

Thanks....

Hi Conor,

How much are you short on donations for the 3DS update to Protx?

Cheers
Paul

Hi,

We haven't received any donations towards 3D secure.

To be honest we hadn't been expecting many as I hadn't actually "put out a formal call" for donations as such. However, we've had a good look at things and releasing the module for free here and hoping for some donations to cover the time it has taken/takes to make this module available just isn't sustainable for us. In fact, we've lost a fair bit of money making this module available to the ZC community! :no:

We're sorry that it has come to this stage but we have suspended downloads of the module as we consider our future direction regarding this matter.

We've recently been made aware that some other developers charge for downloading their payment modules. Given that anyone who uses Protx must be in some way serious about their store we are considering going in that direction also.

The few people who have donated (some of whom have done so twice and almost swelled the total number of donations to double digits - thanks for that! ;) ) are of course entitled to free upgrades and are the recipients of our most sincere thanks!

When we've made a decision about the new licensing situation for our Protx modules we'll of course let everyone here know.

All the best...

Conor

Hi Conor,

I already have my badge but count me in. :yes:

Great module, great support and I'm happy to put my hand in my pocket again. :smile:

Kind regards

Brent

Hi, Conor

I support you charge for mod. I know the difficulty of programming and always appreciate such works. Anyone spend time to develop such useful mods deserves some rewards.

From user point of view, I rather buy licence of mod than free use it. because by paying for the licence, you will have time to develop or upgrade new mod in time, and support users. this is fair!

on the other hand, if it still as free as now, although we made some donates but becuase a lot of other users have not donated, this is no fair.

Pay to use, this is the only way forward and fair!

Count me in, like Brent, I will surely buy your mods. your mods are always work great!

thank you!

Doubletiger

Hi,

Brent and doubletiger, I'm not surprised that you two posted, you have been so very generous with your time and donations!

You two are of course entitled to free upgrades! :yes:

We've decided that there will be a charge for a full-featured version of the module in future.

It's not the way we'd wanted to go, we wanted to keep this open source, but when hundreds of people download and almost no-one donates (or even sends thanks), your motivation to spend even more of your free time on a project dissipates somewhat. :mellow:

A basic version (minus 3D Secure support, so no Maestro support) will be made available for free for those who'd like to try the module before putting their hands in their pockets. It will of course be unsupported though.

I'll post here again when the new version (2.4) is available with 3D Secure support. At the same time we'll release the cut-down basic version.

All the best...

Conor

how can i donate?
i think this and all your modules are great and seeing as this has earned me enough money of late id just like to add my thanks to the list for youi

modchipfitters.co.uk:

how can i donate? Click the PayPal link on Conor's support page. :smile: