[Done v1.3.6] bug with state selection check on registration

Woodymon:

I do understand the frustation in not having a patch/bug fix in hand when you need it. I think I may have to aplogise for giving you entirely the wrong impression. I will admit to feeling a bit anxious when the 1.3.2 bug first appeared. But that was only because we had some high-value products and the loss of the tax on just one would have cost more than the whole site. This time round it's completely different. So what if the odd customer gets in a bit of a muddle the first time they try to create an account? Hardly worth getting your knickers in a twist over is it?

I thought I'd made that clear in an earlier post... > imac:

Personally I find that coding is painstaking work, best done at your own pace, without deadlines or anxious bystanders breathing down your neck. Why else would I have said this? ... > imac:

... Me, I'd rather have it good than Tuesday. :yes: The ONLY point I was taking issue with was... > jetx:

A site can be completely replaced by a previous version in less than 30 minutes, depending upon connection speeds; hardly any work. You said it yourself .... > Woodymon:

However the steps you describe above are the same steps one would have to do with ANY upgrade and/or bugfix, requiring a sql patch or not. So, if the steps you need to make to roll back are the same steps you need to roll forwards, then rocking-and-rolling back over the same ground would add up to nearly twice the work.
Woodymon:

Regarding "you'd also want to 'double-check' functioning of catalog and admin to make sure that nothing had been broken", I do this following EACH and EVERY new installation, upgrade or patch (or rollback)? Doesn't everyone? Of course. What makes you think I don't? > Woodymon:

Once you do it a couple of times you will understand how difficult it is not (but agreed it can be time consuming). So we've finally established that it IS time consuming after all.

The defence rests yer honour. :smile: > Woodymon:

Analyzing the cost to upgrade or patch (or rollback) versus the risk of continuing to run older (or newer) software/code is just part of the cost of managing an ecomm shop (or when working with technolgy in general). So get used to budgeting that potential risk/time requirement into your performa statements, consulting estimates and support/maintenance contracts. Mmm... That's a sticky one. A coupla years ago things were different, but the trouble now is that the international corporations who supply EPOS and accounting systems (you know who I mean!) are starting to offer me-too versions of ZC and the like, which integrate 'seamlessly' into client's existing systems, with the prospect of reduce staffing costs by up to two thirds with one-stop points of entry. This is neither the time nor the place to get into that, but suffice it to say that building the kind of margin for error you're talking about into your costings is not getting easier!
Woodymon:

Linda has communicated that a release date announcement for v.1.36 will not happen. It will be out when it is out. And we have to respect that. So end of that discussion. ;-) Which discussion is that? The one about a minor bug in 1.3.5? Or about how much less time it takes to roll back than roll forward? Or about where ZC ought to locate itself in the ecommerce landscape of the immediate future? IMHO the first 2 are, as Frank Zappa used to say, just noodles. It's only the last one that really concerns me. I suspect I'll be needing to discuss that for quite some time to come. But, like I said, not here :smile:

imac:

So, if the steps you need to make to roll back are the same steps you need to roll forwards, then rocking-and-rolling back over the same ground would add up to nearly twice the work.

So we've finally established that it IS time consuming after all.

Time consumption and work being relatives, once you've done it and documented the rock and roll process (db exp/imp), it takes about a half hour one-way to do the switchover, as jetx suggested. Myself, I always archive the previous installed version on the server in case I need to quickly roll back (and this especially helps when I have to manage the rollback from a remote location).

Of course if you have made any code/template customizations and/or installed/updated any mods in the newer version, which you need employed in the previous version you are rolling back to (that is, if compatible), the above time estimate does not include that service.

Case for the defence rests yer honour. :smile:

well, im having the same issue with the newest version of ZC. i have the dropdown menu turned off currently.

Its only with one state as far as i can tell. and no matter what you do (reopen the window, clear cache, ect/ect. its still present.

when a customer trys to use MA for Massachusetts when signing up, they get a error messaging asking them to select a state from the dropdown menu. i select a state from that dropdown, and still get that error. they can open the window again, and try, but same thing happens, never have we got the error about needing more than 2 chars within the state box, just the same message over and over.

iv tested this with other states, and it works just fine. imput CA, or anything like that, and no problems, it only happens when using MA (from the testing that i have done).
Now on the other side of that, if the user imputs the WHOLE state name "Massachusetts" in the state field, it works fine... it just dont seem to like the 2 char abrivation for the state. as i said, the rest work fine for using the abrviation.

Now, i enabled the dropdown menu, which should help this problem, since the customer can choose there state without typing in the state code, however, the imput field is still showing on the side of that dropdown, is this normal? im assuming its there for those that cant find there state listed in the dropdown, (IE - International addresses and such). im just hoping that customers wont get confused on what to do with the state part of the create account process. Im hoping that they will use the dropdown first to find there state listing, before imputing the state code. However since all other state codes seem to work, it shouldnt be a problem.

is anyone else having this issue?

well, after testing that out, i notice that the box below is not able to be filled in, unless you change the country to somthing other than United States, then it asks you to fill in the box below (mine is located off to the side of it for some reason). but if you change the country back to United States, it wants you to fill in that field, and if you dont, it asks you to please have more than 2 chars in the state field.

Hi Kelvyn,

There is a temporary workaround that allows new customers to create an account.

Apply JeffD's temporary fix (see his posts above) and set your 'states dropdown = true'.

For countries you're using that have no state, you will need to add a temporary 'state' (ie. just the name of the country, so for 'Monaco' you enter a state of 'Monaco') in your zones table with the relavant country code.

If you do both of the above, you could also temporarily comment out the code that displays the manual state entry box (in each of the files that display it).

A further small refinement would be to reverse the display positions of the country and state fields, so that the customer selects his country first, and then his state - allowing the states box to be updated before the customer gets to it ( - maybe this could become the standard layout now the states field auto-updates?)

Where did Kelvyn's post go to? ... the one I got emailed about (and replied to) which said:

kelvyn has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Reproducible bug with state selection check on registration - in the Bug Reports forum of Zen Cart Support

This thread is located at:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47018&goto=newpost

Here is the message that has just been posted:

---

This critical show-stopper of a bug (no fix for non-US countries as far as I can see) has been mentioned in many threads.

Any date for a fix? We're losing a lot of money since we can't get any new customers.

:wacko:

Pixxi:

For countries you're using that have no state, you will need to add a temporary 'state' (ie. just the name of the country, so for 'Monaco' you enter a state of 'Monaco') in your zones table with the relavant country code. I don't quite understand this. Are you saying that if State pull-down is switched on then we need to create States for each one of the 240 Countries that don't already have them? If so, why? I've just tried creating an account for an address in Monaco. The form came back with a text box to enter a State. I left it blank and it worked. Surely if I created a new State 'Monaco' then the customer would then be presented with 2 pull-downs each showing Monaco - which would be even more confusing than it already is. Please clarify. > Pixxi:

A further small refinement would be to reverse the display positions of the country and state fields, so that the customer selects his country first, and then his state - allowing the states box to be updated before the customer gets to it ( - maybe this could become the standard layout now the states field auto-updates?) You know, exactly the same idea occurred to me just a couple of days ago. I don't think this would be a "small" refinement at all. The way it is at the moment isn't very intuitive. People work down forms in linear - tick-the-box, been-there-done-that, now move-on - kind of way. If something you do affects things that come after then it isn't much of a problem. But if what you do changes the layout of fields you thought you'd already dealt with, it can really throw you. On the other hand, putting the State after the Country isn't very intuitive either. How about this: Why not turn the negatives to the positive by making a feature out of what could be a brilliant new mod - once all the bugs have been shaken out - by putting the country pulldown right at the top of the page? :smile:

kelvyn:

Exactly why it's not so easy! I don't understand this kelvyn. Please explain. > kelvyn:

I guess it was an uncomfortable truth! Remember, if a bug is so bad it brings everyone's site grinding to a halt....just ignore it! I really do hope that isn't true. Forensic examination of uncomfortable truths is what The Renaissance, The Age Of Reason, Science and the modern, secular New-World Order are supposed to be all about. Burying uncomfortable truths may be all-the-rage in political circles these days, but in scientific and technological development its a poison that threatens to throw us back to the dark dogmas of the Middle Ages. If uncomfortable truths were really being deliberately buried then we would all be in very deep doodo indeed. :cry:

Anyone got anything yet??? This worked for us for about a week before we started getting the errors. We only ship to the US and CANADA and have the state/provinces already built in. This has cripled our storefront. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Just upgraded from 1.2.7, which was solid. Our 1.3.5 store was live for 5 days before we figured out the BUG. I am very surprized that there is no official fix as of yet?

I guess the JeffD hack will have to do for now?

steelcity:

Anyone got anything yet??? This worked for us for about a week before we started getting the errors. We only ship to the US and CANADA and have the state/provinces already built in. This has cripled our storefront. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

shaggymac:

Just upgraded from 1.2.7, which was solid. Our 1.3.5 store was live for 5 days before we figured out the BUG. I am very surprized that there is no official fix as of yet?

I guess the JeffD hack will have to do for now?

Guys, for now,

enable the dropdown menu, its ugly, and dont work perfectly, but it will do alot better than what you have going now.. this way the customer can create the account and make the buy. And at least you havnt stoped the flow of money. :) my international customers havnt had any issues eather with this setup.
under CONFIGURATION>SHIPPING/PACKAGING
youll find at the bottom a toggle for the dropdown menu, enable that and test... should work fine- you can include the fix from jeff if your having that issue as well.

wickedklown:

enable the dropdown menu....
under CONFIGURATION>SHIPPING/PACKAGING
youll find at the bottom a toggle for the dropdown menu... Are you sure that's right?

Here's where it is on my (completely virgin) install:

Configuration -> Customer Details
(Line 6 below State)
State - Always display as pulldown?

imac:

Are you sure that's right?

Here's where it is on my (completely virgin) install:

Configuration -> Customer Details
(Line 6 below State)
State - Always display as pulldown?

Yes! Our customers are 99% in USA, and I've enabled the state dropdown list as the least of all evils, and it's working very well, especially since I implemented the modified "minimum 2 character" state name error message, which now instructs the customer who encounters the bug to CLOSE the browser window, restart registration/ordering/whatever, and select state before hitting submit.

imac:

Why not turn the negatives to the positive by making a feature out of what could be a brilliant new mod - put the country pulldown right at the top of the page?

IMO this is a very good idea. Many users are familiar with the concept that they are in a "zone" of some sort (language, demographic, geo-political, whatever) and need to identify their "zone" before proceeding. I don't think they will find that to be so disconcerting.

Why not put the country first, since other settings depend on it.

If you are having dependencies in a form, you need to put your switches first. Users find it counter-intuitive to backtrack and modify fields.

yes im sorry, i was beat yesterday- which brings somthing else up, the time/date on this forum is way off....
that post was yesterday afternoon- its now morning here and its saying we are still on the same day.

your correct its under customer details. i should have caught that.....

anyways, seems like you found it, hope it works for you for now.

If you select your time zone in your user preferences the times on the forum will then be correct.

Jeff

wickedklown:

Guys, for now,

enable the dropdown menu, its ugly, and dont work perfectly, but it will do alot better than what you have going now.. this way the customer can create the account and make the buy. And at least you havnt stoped the flow of money. :) my international customers havnt had any issues eather with this setup.
under CONFIGURATION>SHIPPING/PACKAGING
youll find at the bottom a toggle for the dropdown menu, enable that and test... should work fine- you can include the fix from jeff if your having that issue as well.

Hi,

This doesn't work for us... when enabled, form doesn't give an error, but opens the blank box below the state drop-down and wants information. When you put the two-letter state in, you get the following error in a grey pop-up "Errors have occured during the processing of your form. Please make the following corrections *"

In case anyone's interested, the 1.3.6 release was posted last night ... and contains the fix for these address issues.

DrByte:

In case anyone's interested, the 1.3.6 release was posted last night ... and contains the fix for these address issues.

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!

Now if I could just get someone to get it quickly installed on our site...

Can anyone using a live store confirm that 1.3.6 fixes the state pulldown bug?