USPS Shipping module Help Please!

[rcflyerhobbies]

Ok i have taken snippets of the site and what i'm trying to do should seem very simple and would be if everything was perfect in a imperfect world. So mainly this is the problem i will try and be a clear as possable on what i'm trying to do.

I just want to get the USPS module to work. So i did a bunch of research and visiting many sites on info on how to get this going.


1) Be sure you have the latest version of the module installed. Koltz updated the module on June 27, 2007 to include the new USPS International ship rates. You can find this at: http://virtuemart.net/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=71&topic=21235.msg52351#msg52351

2) If you don't already have one, register for a WebTools ID on the USPS web site at http://www.usps.com/webtools/welcome.htm. You should get a confirmation email from icustomercare@usps.com withh your User ID (or WebTools ID), password, and confirming that your production access had been turned on.

3) Be sure you've set up an address for your store under Store > Edit Store, so that USPS knows what address you're shipping from.

Enter all the necessary data in VirtueMart under Store > Shipping module list > USPS module, and also turn USPS on as a shipping option under Admin > Configuration > Shipping.

4) Make sure your products have weights entered.

5) Call the USPS Web Tools tech support number and ask them to move you from a test server to a live server.

6) If you still have problems, check to see if your web host has issues with proxy servers.

Ok after all that i got my email.

Your Web Tools User ID, shown above, is required to test and integrate USPS Web Tools APIs.  With this ID, you may begin sending calls to the test server.  Depending on the API, the address to the test server is either http://testing.shippingapis.com/ShippingAPITest.dll or https://secure.shippingapis.com/ShippingAPITest.dll.  Use this information in combination with your User ID and your XML string to send a request to the USPS servers.  For more details, refer to the programming guides (located at http://www.usps.com/webtools) for the specific API you are integrating.

A sample test request would look like: "http://testing.shippingapis.com/ShippingAPITest.dll?API=[API_Name]&XML=[XML_String_containing_User_ID]"

When you have completed your testing, email the USPS Internet Customer Care Center (ICCC).  They will switch your profile to allow you access to the production server and will provide you with the production URLs.

The ICCC is staffed from 7:00AM to 11:00PM Eastern Time.

           E-mail:  icustomercare@usps.com
           Telephone:        1-800-344-7779

The latest versions of the technical documentation, including the Development Guide, are available from USPS.com at http://www.usps.com/webtools.  This documentation provides the information you will need to utilize our APIs.  It is available in both PDF and HTML formats.  In order to open and view in PDF you must have Adobe Reader installed on your system.  You may download this software, at no cost, from http://www.adobe.com/reader.

                     IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING USER ID


The Web Tools User ID provided is for you and your company to use when requesting data via the Internet from the U.S. Postal Service API servers.  This unique User ID cannot be shared with others outside your organization, nor is it to be packaged and distributed or sold to other individuals, businesses or e-commerce web site entities.  As per the Terms and Conditions of Use Agreement you agreed to during the Web Tools registration process, you are responsible to maintain the confidentiality of your User ID as specified.  You may not package any APIs with your User ID for resale or distribution to others.  The U.S. Postal Service does not prohibit the reuse and/or distribution of the API documentation (User's Guide) with sample code in order to generate awareness, encourage use or provide ease-of-use to customers or affiliates.

Warning - If the U.S. Postal Service discovers use of the same User ID from more than one web site, all users will be subject to loss of access to the USPS production server and/or termination of the licenses granted under the Terms and Conditions of Use.  For more information regarding the USPS Web Tools User ID policy, or for questions regarding distribution of documentation, send email to icustomercare@usps.com.

Thank you for helping the U.S. Postal Service provide new services to our shipping customers.

Sincerely,

The Internet Shipping Solutions Team

USPS Internet Customer Care Center
icustomercare@usps.com
7:00AM - 11:00PM EST
So i entered the urls for the test but get the error that the http is wrong so i emailed the usps customercare and i'm waiting to get the info on the production server urls and i'm hoping it will work  
In the snippeets i have removed my user name and password so no one will know what they are

[attachment cleanup by admin]

[rcflyerhobbies]

error Snippet.IF you see anything that doesnt look right please let me know i'm uncertain about the cofiguration .dll or if you know that i dont have the correct USPS module please post a link to were i can get the right one will really appricaite any input i'm only shipping to canada and the US but loose customers becasue i dont have the USPS option i get alot of email requesting the feture since UPS is more expensive

[attachment cleanup by admin]

[rcflyerhobbies]

Ok i have been upgraded to the Production server and i'm using The USPS Shipping module v4.0 supporting USPS API v3. and now i'm getting this error so i turned it off and i'm at at a stand still on what to do i followed the instruction that are in the updated shipping module but have no clue what is wrong with it. i attachedanother snippet of the error iget when i reach this part of my check out. If anyone can point me in the right direction for information i would really appricate it very much thank you

[attachment cleanup by admin]

[rcflyerhobbies]

these are the instruction in the Update USPS SHipping module. ANd i have done what it says to do but still get an error so now i'm going to email the server i use and see if i require a proxy to acces the USPS Server. I shouldnt need one since the UPS Service works fine i just dont understand why im getting the two options under the error note on the site and it shows UPS in two places i know the one at the top it correct but the UPS in the white bar is saying a different price frustrating to say the least about ready to just forget it and move on.

* Installing / Upgrading VM's USPS Module *

These instructions are for installing and configuring the USPS v4.0. The entire structure of the module was reworked in this release so all previous hack comments were removed from the code. Also, v4.0 uses different file names so the older version and the new v4.0 can be installed in VM at the same time to allow for turning on/off of the shipping modules. Note: If you are upgrading from v4.0RC1 or v4.0RC2 then you will be overwritting the RC files.

Copy over the new files into the "/administrator/components/com_virtuemart/classes/shipping" directory.  These include 3 files:

uspsv4.cfg.php
uspsv4.php
uspsv4.ini

Now go into the VM Administrator and go to "Store -> Shipping Module List". If you previously had the USPS module installed, you should now see two USPS modules. The new version will have "4.0" in the version column and should not be active at this point. If this is the first time installing the USPS module there will only be the one module.

Click on "Configure Ship Method" under the "4.0" version and enter your configuration settings. Some of these like; username, server and path should be the same as your previous version.
NOTE: USPS password should be blank.
NOTE: You MUST use the USPS production server so ensure you have requested that USPS move your userid to their production server.

Once all setting have been selected click on the "Save" button to save your configuration.

Once the configuration settings have been saved enable the new USPS shipping method (and deactivate the old one if being used). See steps below for more information.

New Users:  To enable USPS shipping, follow these instructions:
1. Go into the Virtuemart backend
2. Click on Admin -> Configuration, now select the Shipping tab.
3. Click the USPS checkbox and click the save button. If multiple USPS shipping methods exist ensure the title says "The USPS Shipping module v4.0 supporting USPS API v3."

Enhancements done in v4.0:
Module totally rewritten to compare the shipping service text from USPS with the shipping service text enabled in VM. This avoids all the problems when USPS changes the ordering of the services in the XML or when certain shipping methods are not available based on the weight. Therefore the service names in the configuration file should NOT be changed. A future release will provide the ability to automatically update the USPS service names in the configuration menu. USPS does not return a unique identifier for each domestic service so the service name had to be used for this to work properly.
Changes to use USPS API v3 for domestic shipments.
Ability to enter a proxy server in configuration menu.
Ability to turn on/off the displaying of errors from the USPS service on the frontend.
Ability to turn on/off the failover to standard shipping if a USPS error occurs or there are no active USPS shipping methods for order.
Change the prefix which appears in front of the shipping options returned from USPS service in configuration settings.
Ability to customize the shipping commitment (delivery days quote) on domestic shipping options since USPS does not return this information for domestic rates.
If total weight exceeds 70 pounds the module will trigger the standard shipping methods (if enabled).
Now works in J!1.0.x and J!1.5.x. Also VM 1.0.x and VM 1.1.
Enhancements to work correctly with fsockopen. This method is used if cURL is not installed on the web server.
Corrections to fix some weight calculations as suggested by cw733. Ounces will also round up to the nearest integer and pounds will round down to the nearest integer. This provides more accurate shipping costs since the USPS service will adjust the pounds based on the services.
Removed "International Per Pound Rate" from configuration since it was not being used in the module.
Enhancements to the configuration descriptions and tooltips to provide better information.
Added support to the international handling fee to allow a percentage amount as well as a dollar amount. This was a suggestion from cw733.
Added feature to write warning message on configuration screen if the configuration file is not writable (this was particularly helpful prior to J1.5)


Note on a problem.  The main VirtueMart package doesn't have all of the correct country names and codes entered.  So if you are shipping to one of these countries, you might get an error from USPS.  One known country is Iran.

[blairwolf]

For those of you looking for the download of the new shipping USPS CFG/INI/PHP go to this thread: USPS Shipping Module v4.0
http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=40284.0