Automated FedEx Labels

[tommygunner]

I'm trying to figure out how to get labels to print out correctly on my thermal printer. I'm using Zebra 2844. Will labels with this contribution print out correctly in 4X6 size or is it huge size like Fedex Shipping Manager software?

[spoot]

I'm trying to figure out how to get labels to print out correctly on my thermal printer. I'm using Zebra 2844. Will labels with this contribution print out correctly in 4X6 size or is it huge size like Fedex Shipping Manager software?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thermal printers aren't supported yet. There may be a way to adjust the layout of the label display page to make it print, but it hasn't been done yet.

[TheJackal]

Michael,

 

This is a wonderful contribution! Added to my store and it works like a charm. It has drastically reduced our shipping processing time.

 

I've made some enhancements to make it even faster. I thought I will share that enhancement as v1.05.

 

The enhancements I've made are:

 

- New automatic send tracking email feature (with option to disable)

- Much faster shipping processing:

-- defaulting quantity, weight and shipping method values directly from the order

-- if order consists of only 1 package, it skips the 2nd screen and connects directly to Fedex)

-- added Order Qty and Order Items description on shipping page for faster processing

- Updated Shipping Manifest report to exclude 'Express Shipping' (Credits to JD Fitch)

- Added new optional fields to label - Invoice#, Reference#, PO#, Dept Name (Credits to DropshipSites.com)

- Change pickup date default to same day instead of next day

- Corrected 2 bugs in abbreviation.php

- Includes orders.php but excludes configure.php from zip package

 

Note when upgrading from v1.03 or v1.04, just replace the following 4 files:

a. catalog/admin/includes/boxes/reports.php

b. catalog/admin/includes/languages/english/ship_fedex.php

c. catalog/admin/includes/abbreviate.php

d. catalog/admin/ship_fedex.php

 

I have tested it on a vanilla version of MS2.2.

 

 

The Jackal

[TheJackal]

I'm trying to figure out how to get labels to print out correctly on my thermal printer. I'm using Zebra 2844. Will labels with this contribution print out correctly in 4X6 size or is it huge size like Fedex Shipping Manager software?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I managed to use the thermal printer for printing the contribution label. I simply set the browser to print at 86% size settings using landscape mode. Although it fills up the label quite well, I wonder if Fedex will complain about the barcode (a little bit of unclearness due to shrinkage of the original barcode image)

 

I suppose you would still need to get the thermal png image first.

[cdi-buy.com]

Many different problems here. On the Test I'm getting this when I create a shipment:

 

This transaction could not be completed. Please note the error message below.

 

ERROR: FedEx Return Error 5012 : Account number not in database

 

And yes I do have real time quote installed and working. When I tried to bypass the test server, I set it all in production and got broken images. I'd appreciate any help.

[TheJackal]

Many different problems here.  On the Test I'm getting this when I create a shipment:

And yes I do have real time quote installed and working.  When I tried to bypass the test server, I set it all in production and got broken images.  I'd appreciate any help.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Do the following refresh first:

 

1. Goto Fedex Real Time quote Admin and set to Test. Set Meter ID to NONE.

2. Goto admin\includes\fedexdc.php and set $server = 'test'.

3. Goto store and check out the shopping cart - any item. (to ensure you refresh your meter id)

4. Then go back to your store admin to ship again.

 

If the above doesn't work, call fedex.com and ensure your account is in the test server.

 

Hope this helps.

[cdi-buy.com]

Do the following refresh first:

 

  1.  Goto Fedex Real Time quote Admin and set to Test.  Set Meter ID to NONE.

  2.  Goto admin\includes\fedexdc.php and set $server = 'test'.

  3.  Goto store and check out the shopping cart  - any item.  (to ensure you refresh your meter id)

  4.  Then go back to your store admin to ship again.

 

If the above doesn't work,  call fedex.com and ensure your account is in the test server.

 

Hope this helps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Apparently I'm NOT on the test server. I called FedEx and they acted like they had no idea what I'm talking about. I couldn't name the software I am using because it's a contribution...so what exactly do I tell them??

[cdi-buy.com]

Alright so I finally got someone who knows what I'm talking about. Supposedly I'll be on the TS in a day or two. Hopefully I'll get everything squared away after that. It seemed like an easy enough install otherwise.

[cdi-buy.com]

ok I'm now on the test server and getting this error when I click submit to create a label:

 

Warning: fopen(DIR_WS_FEDEX_LABELS469498010000001.png): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home2/cdibuy/public_html/shop/admin/includes/fedexdc.php on line 251

Warning: fwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home2/cdibuy/public_html/shop/admin/includes/fedexdc.php on line 252

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/cdibuy/public_html/shop/admin/includes/fedexdc.php:251) in /home2/cdibuy/public_html/shop/admin/includes/functions/general.php on line 22

 

Anyone know the solution?

[cdi-buy.com]

I got rid of that error but I still get a broken image. I clicked the "view image" menu option and here's what it says:

The image ?http://www.cdi-buy.com/admin/images/fedex/469498010000025.png? cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

 

I have a couple other questions while I'm here...how can I make it so that it sends the order update email to the customer, OR disable the email altogether so I can manually update (preferably manually update)

Edited March 23, 2005 by cdi-buy.com

[cdi-buy.com]

Ugh I also just noticed this error when I try to cancel the shipment:

 

ERROR: FedEx Return Error 1F25 : Ship date must be 8 digits CCYYMMDD format.

[homewetbar]

Hello,

 

I just last week started using this fedex contribution and it works great! However I just discovered something disturbing. When you enter a weight like 1.4 pounds it automatically rounds that up to two pounds, try it you'll see. Isn't this going to cost me alot in the long run if it is constantly uping the package weight up to the nearest pound? Just estimating but $0.50 x 50 packages a month is alot of money...

 

How do we fix this?

Thanks!

[homewetbar]

Hello,

 

I just last week started using this fedex contribution and it works great! However I just discovered something disturbing. When you enter a weight like 1.4 pounds it automatically rounds that up to two pounds, try it you'll see. Isn't this going to cost me alot in the long run if it is constantly uping the package weight up to the nearest pound? Just estimating but $0.50 x 50 packages a month is alot of money...

 

How do we fix this?

Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I think I have this fixed, its seems to be working for me but I'm no expert.

 

The simple fix is just to fix the rounding, look for the round statement near line 240, the line should start like:

$total_weight = round(

 

change it to:

$total_weight = round($HTTP_POST_VARS['package_weight'], 1);

 

This should make the weights rounded to 1 decimal which should be fedex compatible and be more accurate. :thumbsup:

[spoot]

I thought I will share that enhancement as v1.05.

 

Oh, that is fantastic. Great work. And thanks for watching this forum, I don't get here all that often.

[cdi-buy.com]

Any thoughts on why I get broken PNG images instead of my labels in Test? I already CHMOD'd the fedex image folders to 777 and have a fresh meter ID and am on the FedEx Test Server.

 

I get an error message saying the image cannot be displayed because it contains errors when I use the "view image" right-click menu option. I tried saving the PNG image to my computer and opening it with PhotoShop 7.0 to see what was going on with it, and it wouldn't open there either. I also couldn't use Windows XP's built in image previewer either.

 

This seems to be my only hangup in getting the contribution to work and I'd really really like to get it functioning as quickly as possible.

 

Any help is appreciated...feel free to email me through the board if you can give me a quick idea!

 

Thanks!

Edited March 24, 2005 by cdi-buy.com

[cdi-buy.com]

Not sure how or why but it's working now. I successfully printed an Express and a Ground label so far with no problems.

 

Still getting the date format error when I try to cancel though.

[TheJackal]

I think I have this fixed, its seems to be working for me but I'm no expert.

 

The simple fix is just to fix the rounding, look for the round statement near line 240, the line should start like:

$total_weight = round(

 

change it to:

$total_weight = round($HTTP_POST_VARS['package_weight'], 1);

 

This should make the weights rounded to 1 decimal which should be fedex compatible and be more accurate.  :thumbsup:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I tried it..but it wasn't complete..you need to replace

 

 	 $total_weight = $total_weight . '.0';

with

 	 $total_weight = sprintf("%01.1f", $total_weight);

 

and replace all

 

      $package_weight = $package_weight . '.0';

with

      $package_weight = sprintf("%01.1f", $package_weight);

 

This is because FedEx requires all numbers to be submitted with 1 decimal place.

 

Hmm...this change should save $$$. :)

[cdi-buy.com]

How can I turn off the automatic order updating? With all my other shipping methods I put the tracking number in a field and update the order automatically so they get the tracking in the order update email - and it allows them the same tracking functionality through account history.

 

I want to do the same with FedEx.

 

If I can just turn off order status updating I'll be happy with it until someone finds a fix for the cancellation date error.

[cdi-buy.com]

Nevermind...I did a little playing and got my own customizations finished. :) Thanks to all! Once this thing works with thermal printers, it's going to be AWESOME!

 

It's already a sweet contribution and will save me boat loads of time!

[homewetbar]

Yes the additional fixes you suggested should help and fix the multiple packages too!

Edited March 25, 2005 by homewetbar

[mattyb]

Aven,

 

Excellent mods made to this contrib. I'm just curious how do you set it so that when you ship a package, an e-mail automatically gets sent to the customer that says the package is shipped and the tracking number is included. I see that it updates this information in the order but it doesn't get sent to the customer. If anybody else knows I'd love to hear how it was done. Thanx.

 

Matt

[cdi-buy.com]

I have a concern:

 

Insurance. How do you add insurance to a shipment? There's no parameter for it...is it automatically added? I wouldn't want to ship a $500 product without insurance and FedEx only includes $100 by default.

Edited March 25, 2005 by cdi-buy.com

[cdi-buy.com]

I spoke with a FedEx techie and he suggested ways to allow thermal support. He said it's all in the buffer and you guys may have had it working already without knowing it.

 

When printing thermals, there is no image for the label - it's all text code. Also, the thermal must be set on the printer port and the driver must be changed to the generic text printer driver, rather than using the default driver.

 

I'm going to test it and get back with the results.

[TheJackal]

...I'm just curious how do you set it so that when you ship a package, an e-mail automatically gets sent to the customer that says the package is shipped and the tracking number is included.  I see that it updates this information in the order but it doesn't get sent to the customer...

If you are using v1.05, at the top of admin/ship_fedex.php, (at about line 20) replace

	$send_email_on_shipping = 0;

with

	$send_email_on_shipping = 1;

This would enable the 'send automatic email' feature (with tracking number) in your email. I should have been made this more explicit in the readme.txt. :)

[cdi-buy.com]

Has anyone been able to get this approved by FedEx?

 

It doesn't allow me to run through all the scenarios...signature, insurance, etc.