USPS Rate V4, Intl Rate V2 (official support thread)

[ejsolutions]

Given the length of both threads, would it not be wise to start a fresh thread with clear guidelines?

Edited August 2, 2013 by ejsolutions

[TomB01]

I think it's a good idea to keep Methods separate from this contrib - especially since this contrib is dead, anyway. However, why is Methods in "General Add-Ons Support" instead of "Shipping Modules?"

[spiritalan]

I think it's a good idea to keep Methods separate from this contrib - especially since this contrib is dead, anyway. However, why is Methods in "General Add-Ons Support" instead of "Shipping Modules?"

 

The only thing that I can see is "USPS Rate V4, Intl Rate V2 (official support thread)" is actually a newer updated shipping module for OSC 2.3 versions. USPS Methods contribution exceeded the original OSC official module years ago and was modified over the years to keep up with various changes to OSC and USPS. However, I do not believe it works with OSC 2.3.3 version, but some might disagree with me.

Edited August 3, 2013 by spiritalan

[krdito]

I have been away from this thread for a couple of days (thanks to resolving my shipping issue!), but someone asked about setting up the zone rates. It's very simple! First, check in your admin panel to see if you have a zone module. If so, you are in good shape. If not, you will need to find the contribution to add it. We already had it, so we didn't have to go looking for it.

 

The instructions in the module (includes->modules->shipping->zones) tells you how to increase the number of zones within one zone module (I needed 3 zones, one for the US, one for Canada, and one for the rest of the world). Once you have the correct number of zones, go back to your Admin panel and set them up using the instructions for entering the country code and price based on weight. Please note that one zone module is only good for one USPS service! So, once we had Priority Mail set up, we had to duplicate the zone module to create 2 more zone modules to use for Standard Post and Express Mail. We named them z2 and z3. Don't use the word "zone" in the new module name because it does mess up the system. You then have to go into your new module and replace "zone" with "z2" (or whatever you have named your new zone module) for both lower case and upper case. We then did the same thing for z3. We dug up an old thread here that had instructions for duplicating a table module and used the same principles for duplicating a zone module. This thread is: http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/topic/137263-shipping-duplicating-table-rate/

 

You will also need to duplicate the language file for the new zones in includes->languages->english->modules->shipping using the same search and replace as you did with the actual zone modules.

 

Once you have duplicated the zone module and language file (which is the hardest step), you can then set up the new zone modules with the country codes and shipping costs by pound. We looked up prices on the USPS website and used zip code 90026 for US prices, Canada obviously for Canada, and Australia for the rest of the international countries to which we ship. We renamed the zones in the includes->languages->modules-> language files to be Standard Post^®</b> - estimated delivery is 2-9 business days after shipment:, Priority Mail^®</b> - estimated delivery is 2-3 business days after shipment to US addresses and 6-10 business days after shipment to international addresses:, and Express Mail™</b> - estimated delivery is 1-2 business days after shipment to US addresses and 3-5 business days after shipment to international addresses:, so this is what the customer sees during checkout and includes the estimated delivery (not the new "official" estimate from the USPS, but the same basic estimates that have always been in place.

 

Here is what we have for Priority Mail:

Enable Zones Method

True

 

Tax Class

--none--

 

Sort Order

2

 

Zone 1 Countries

US

 

Zone 1 Shipping Table

2:10.25,3:12.90,4:16.45,5:18.90,6:21.20,7:23.85,8:26.30,9:41.05,10:41.05,12:41.05,14:41.05,16:67.85,20:81.95,24:81.95,28:81.95,32:81.95

 

Zone 1 Handling Fee

1.00

 

Zone 2 Countries

CA

 

Zone 2 Shipping Table

2:30.60,3:32.95,4:35.30,5:37.65,6:40.00,7:42.35,8:44.70,9:47.05,10:49.40,12:54.50,14:59.60,16:64.70,20:74.90,24:85.10,28:95.30,32:105.50

 

Zone 2 Handling Fee

1.00

 

Zone 3 Countries

AD,AQ,AS,AT,AU,AW,BE,BR,BS,CH,CL,CN,CZ,DE,DK,ES,FI,FK,FR,FX,GB,GL,GR,GU,HK,HU,IE,IL,IS,IT,JP,KY,LI,LU,MC,MX,NL,NO,NZ,PL,PR,PT,SE,SG,TR,TW,UA,VE,VG,VI,ZA

 

Zone 3 Shipping Table

2:44.10,3:48.25,4:52.40,5:56.55,6:60.90,7:65.25,8:69.60,9:73.95,10:78.30,12:87.20,14:96.10,16:137.10,20:159.70,24:182.30,28:204.90,32:227.50

 

Zone 3 Handling Fee

1.00

 

 

 

For Standard Post:

Enable Z2 Method

True

 

Tax Class

--none--

 

Sort Order

1

 

Zone 1 Countries

US

 

Zone 1 Shipping Table

2:8.92,3:10.81,4:12.07,5:12.66,6:14.20,7:15.98,8:17.62,9:19.06,10:20.97,12:25.02,14:27.50,16:30.21,20:30.21,24:30.74,28:31.39,32:32.10

 

Zone 1 Handling Fee

1.00

 

 

 

and for Express Mail:

Enable Z3 Method

True

 

Tax Class

--none--

 

Sort Order

3

 

Zone 1 Countries

US

 

Zone 1 Shipping Table

2:38.10,3:43.90,4:49.45,5:55.00,6:60.45,7:66.05,8:71.70,9:77.25,10:81.20,9:77.25,10:81.20,12:88.95,14:96.50,16:104.70,20:120.25,24:137.35,28:152.55,32:170.70

 

Zone 1 Handling Fee

1.00

 

Zone 2 Countries

CA

 

Zone 2 Shipping Table

2:41.40,3:45.45,4:49.50,5:53.55,6:57.85,7:62.15,8:66.45,9:70.75,10:75.05,12:83.55,14:92.05,16:204.20,20:244.95,24:244.95,28:244.95,32:244.95

 

Zone 2 Handling Fee

1.00

 

Zone 3 Countries

AD,AQ,AS,AT,AU,AW,BE,BR,BS,CH,CL,CN,CZ,DE,DK,ES,FI,FK,FR,FX,GB,GL,GR,GU,HK,HU,IE,IL,IS,IT,JP,KY,LI,LU,MC,MX,NL,NO,NZ,PL,PR,PT,SE,SG,TR,TW,UA,VE,VG,VI,ZA

 

Zone 3 Shipping Table

2:59.50,3:64.65,4:69.80,5:74.95,6:80.60,7:86.25,8:91.90,9:97.55,10:103.20,12:114.50,14:125.80,16:294.70,20:359.05,28:359.05,32:359.05

 

Zone 3 Handling Fee

1.00

 

Our largest weight is 32 pounds, but you can go higher if needed, based on what you sell. We don't use First Class, but if you do, you would need a separate zone module for that class. We set the sort order so the zones would show up in order of cheapest to most expensive.

 

If USPS rates go up in the future (of course they will!), we can either figure out the new rates on the USPS site or bump up the handling fee to cover the increase.

 

Using these zone modules, we are no longer have to connect to the USPS for service and price quotes. If they ever change service names, it's a simple name change to our current language file.

 

The only downside of the zone modules is we used a Califoria zip code for calculating costs for US shipping. Customers living closer will pay more than they should have, but the different is usually just a few dollars, so we didn't sweat it. It was more important to us to have a module that worked, over which we have complete control, than risk losing more sales waiting on a fix for the current mess we found ourselves in on July 28th...and last Januar with those USPS updates.

 

I can tell you I have slept so much better since we implemented our zone modules. No worries ever again about changes by the UPSPS that bring our sales to a grinding halt!

 

Anyone with questions is more than welcome to message me. I am happy to help! My husband, avec, is a regular poster here and did the zone module duplication when I had the idea that duplicating and using zone modules could be a good fix for us...and it was!

[♥kymation]

You can also use the MultiGeoZone MultiTable Shipping module. That allows as many zones as you need without duplicating modules. The same shipping tables should work.

 

Regards

Jim

[wkdwich]

@@krdito -- that was me :) thanks for the detailed explanation - really wanted to see what your tables were set up like :) .. osCmax has that table in place so its good.. @@kymation -- yes I do use the MultiGeoZone tables for one of the sites I maintain.. its a great MOD and works just fine with osCmax

[krdito]

@@kymation - for the multigeozone multitable shipping module, can you set up different zones within the US, like the USPS has zones 1-8 based on where you are shipping from and to?

 

Thanks!

[♥kymation]

Yes, except the granularity is at the state level in the US, so you can't split a state across two zones. Otherwise you can set up all of the zones that you want.

 

Regards

Jim

[DesertCoder]

 

 

@@DesertCoder

See my comments above. You would just need to uninstall in your Admin, then overwrite the module file with the one I posted above and reinstall.

 

Regards

Jim

 

Jim,

 

I downloaded the file you suggested, but not certain as to what to do with it. Jetta's module had many files in many folders that needed to be uploaded, where exactly does this one go?

 

Many thanks!

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[♥kymation]

It's the module file -- catalog/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php. Be warned that it doesn't work completely. First class is still a mess.

 

Regards

Jim

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation many thanks. You're taking on a huge task picking up where Jetta left off, and we thank you. Does this work / conflict with the Restrict Methods add on?

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[♥kymation]

It has its own restrictions, so probably not.

 

And I'm actually throwing out most of the existing modules and starting over. I got tired of having to patch modules every six months.

 

Regards

JIm

[DesertCoder]

It's the module file -- catalog/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php. Be warned that it doesn't work completely. First class is still a mess.

 

Regards

Jim

 

@@kymation Installed and working perfectly in testing so far. Again, you've taken on a huge effort here and I appreciate your effort. If you ever want any help writing installation/update/whatever instructions let me know, I've been a tech writer for many years.

 

Sincerely,

 

DesertCoder

[♥kymation]

I can use all the help I can get. It's a little early for writing the instructions for the new module, but when the time comes I may take you up on that. Thanks for the offer.

 

Regards

Jim

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation Any time. Just let me know, I'd be happy to help. Thank you for what you are doing with this module!

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation I have a client with two stores, both of which use PayPal. I made the change to the shipping module and received this error:

 

Fatal error: Class 'httpClient' not found in /home/content/path/path/html/sitename/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php on line 359

 

Any thoughts? I'm checking their other store now.

 

Cheers,

DesertCoder

[♥kymation]

The httpClient class has been in osCommerce since at least 2.2MS1 -- catalog/includes/classes/http_client.php. Missing an include somewhere?

 

Regards

Jim

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation It is that module. But I replaced it in two other stores that do not use PayPal for checkout (assuming that is the problem) and they both work perfectly.

 

Even when I uncheck all of the First Class options in the admin panel, I still get the same error. Could this be a server-side problem? Maybe it's my client's host?

 

As you're likely aware, this is line 359: $http = new httpClient();

 

Any idea, let me know.

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation This was a fully functioning store, both of them were. I haven't touched them for months, and the client doesn' know anything about coding. I checked and the file you mentioned is present.

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[♥kymation]

Is the error showing up on the Admin side? That file is only on the Catalog side. Otherwise I don't have a clue why that would happen.

 

The new module is going to need that file on the Admin side, or a link to it. I need to figure that out.

 

Regards

Jim

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation No, the error happens on the front end, when the customer selects a shipping option then continues to checkout with PayPal. that's when the error happens.

 

BUT...on my other two client stores, they use a third-party biller and I am able to complete test transactions with no errors at all. I'm wondering if it's a misfire between the USPS module and the PayPal module, or if it is this client's GoDaddy shared server.

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[♥kymation]

Paypal uses some of their own files, sometimes instead of the osCommerce file -- look in /ext/modules/payment/paypal. It wouldn't hurt to throw an include_once() for the file in the top of each one of those.

 

Regards

Jim

[DesertCoder]

@@kymation Okay, it is using the express.php file, but with 687 lines of code, I'm not sure where to look for a conflict. As for throwing include_once() in as you suggested, where did you mean for me to put them?

 

Many thanks!

 

Cheers,

 

DesertCoder

[dculley]

I just noticed that my USPS v4 is no longer coming up as an option on checkout. I has been working great. I haven't changed anything since I first intalled v2 - v.17.7_1 back on 4/2013. Admin is still there. What do I need to do? I haven't seen any new updates to download come down on the add on site. Can anyone please advise me on what I need to do for the shopping cart side.

Thanks

[♥kymation]

@@DesertCoder

Just add this line to all of the files in that paypal folder, near the top:

 

include_once 'includes/classes/http_client.php';

 

It's sort of a shotgun approach, but it shouldn't break anything, and a more refined approach would take a lot of debugging. Unless you're bored and want to look through thousands of line of code....

 

@@dculley

You're late to the game. USPS changed their API a week ago and broke everything. There are fixes for both of the common USPS addons. If you have this one, the patch file is here. Just uninstall, copy that file over your USPS module file, and reinstall. If you're using the USPS Methods addon, there's a support thread for that with a patch.

 

Regards

Jim