RESOLVED: Store Not Logging Transactions or Sending Emails

[Michael Vail]

Thank you sir. I replied if you could take a look. Happy Saturday to you!

Mike

[SMFHacks]

Replied

[Michael Vail]

I dunno man. I'm stumped. I completely removed the latest version again and installed the version 4.06 you sent me. No change in behavior. I also noticed that after making a paid purchase. The cart doesn't empty for the customer. It leaves whatever was purchased in the cart as though the transaction never occurred.

During a previous uninstall to upload the updated 5.0 Beta package. I went ahead and uninstalled the store software and ignored the Languages uninstall error warnings. Is there any possible way that could have led to these troubles?

I'm about to run the large upgrade for SMF 2.1.3 and see if it screwed something up. Sadly, SMF 2.1 has been a lot of trouble for me and I almost regret upgrading from SMF 2.0.

[SMFHacks]

The cart only empties on successful payment from paypal otherwise we don't know it is checked out.  So if the transaction isn't logged the cart won't be cleared.
The package can fail uninstall for language file changes wouldn't cause any issues.

Hard to say since I think the last transactions you did were sandbox mode? So the log file didn't get filled with information and if there is nothing related in the forums error log

[Michael Vail]

Just thought I'd share the latest on this. I'm totally baffled and now I'm thinking it's either a Paypal issue or perhaps and issue with our hosting company.

I uninstalled the store software again and downgraded SMF to SMF 2.1.2.  Reinstalled the Store 5.0beta-1, then ran a test of a paid item.- NO CHANGE

I then uninstalled the Store software, re-ran the SMF 2.1.3 patch, reinstalled the store, and tried a paid item test. NO CHANGE.

Lastly, I installed a totally new test forum of SMF 2.1.3 with a completely new DB. I installed no plugins except Store5.0beta1 and created two test products, 1 Paid and 1 Free. Ran a test with the Paid test item - NO CHANGE!!!!!!! I'm ready to kill myself! If has to be something with the host or Paypal right??? I'm leaning toward Paypal because the sandbox traffic came through but not the regular Paypal purchase traffic.

Any more thoughts before I give up???

[Michael Vail]

As the title says,

My store is not logging any of the paid item transactions in the Store's transaction log. It is also not sending the appropriate sales emails to the buyer and the Store Admin. The Paypal transactions always go through and Paypal still sends their payment email to the Admin as expected. This is how the Admin knows the purchase actually occurred so he can deliver the item.

When using a FREE test item, the transaction gets logged and the storekeeper and client sales emails work correctly. Its just the paid transactions that fail.

This problem began early last year and we worked together to solve it but never did. At that time I was running SMF 2.12 and upgraded to 2.13. We also tried various versions of the Store software, Paypal tests and I even installed an entirely new vanilla SMF test site on the same web server. Even the vanilla SMF test server wouldn't work, The test results were always the same and nothing every resolved it. Here's the link of the thread we used:

https://www.smfhacks.com/index.php/topic,10308.30.html

I was hoping that by being on SMF 2.14 now and installing the newest version of Store 5.0 it would at last take care of it.

Unfortunately not.

I'm hoping you can still help me resolve this. There has to be a solution, probably in the hosting account or Paypal account, but I'm simply lost as to where to look further. I'd really appreciate your help, even if I need to pay you for it.

Warmest Regards,
Mike Vail

[SMFHacks]

Hmm very odd. I Just tested on latest SMF and latest SMF Store with paypal sandbox and the transaction worked/processed recorded in store.  I would test a basic item with no extra features and see how that goes.

Make sure you disabled paypal sandbox under payment modules if your site is live.


If not try using a paypal sandbox account. Not the simulator.

Simulator
This is not recommended as it is more difficult. Do type of Web Accept. If doing the simulator it is going to look for a custom variable the baksetid to be passed in the custom variable under advanced. The basket ID is harder to find. Basket it will be found on the checkout page viewing the source.
Custom.

Code: [Select]

<input type="hidden" name="custom" value="3|d72a32d2d9cbbd54d042082b03a97ed2ad20a6b0|" />
I would also copy all the other information to make sure it matches

Code: [Select]


 <input type="hidden" name="amount" value="1" />

 <input type="hidden" name="shipping" value="2" />
 <input type="hidden" name="no_shipping" value="2" />

 <input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="1" />
 <input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD" />


Sandbox
Paypal Sandbox Requires two sandbox accounts https://sandbox.paypal.com/us/home  1 a sandbox business account (this email then needs to be set as the payapl email in store configuration).  2 a sandbox personal account for paying. (https://developer.paypal.com/tools/sandbox/card-testing/) get card numbers from that link



Debugging for transactions is still via editing storeipn2.php file
Find

Code: [Select]

define('DEBUG_STORE','0');
Change to

Code: [Select]

define('DEBUG_STORE','1');

store_debug.txt - needs to be writeable.

You can also set paypal_logs.txt as writable
And change

Code: [Select]

$paypal_debug = false;
To

Code: [Select]

$paypal_debug = true;



fsockopen must be supported in PHP as normally is.
Connections are made via ssl://www.paypal.com or ssl://www.sandbox.paypal.com  to verify transactions



After a transaction is made it should log anything to the store_debug.txt file

[Michael Vail]

UPDATE 1/23/25

After two years of trying to figure out this problem, I finally got it resolved.

Apparently, all the way back in late 2022, Paypal made UI changes to their system and added controls for users to enable or disable IPN Notification messages. Of course when they made these changes, a bunch of users IPN messages were disabled by default under the new controls. Mine was one of them. For the past 2 years I had no idea these controls even existed until after spending many hours again today trying to figure my store's transaction problem again.

For anyone reading this in the future who is having problems with their Paypal transactions failing to send notifications to their website, I strongly suggest you check the control I'm referring to in your Paypal account to make sure IPN notifications are enabled so Paypal will communicate the IPN transaction details with your website. As of 1/23/25, this setting can be found in your Paypal account by following these steps:

Log into Paypal and go directly go this link: https://www.paypal.com/merchantnotification/ipn/preference

You can also go through the below steps to get to this place:

1. Click on your name on the top bar of the Paypal website and choose, "Account Settings"
2. On the left column under Account Settings, find the section titled, "Products & Services" and choose, "Website Payments"
3. Find, "Instant Payment Notifications" in the right column of this section and choose, "Update"

Once you get to this section, make sure your account is set to, "Receive IPN Messages" (see attached images)

After correcting this on my account (which Paypal had magically set to, "Notifications Messages - Off"), my store immediately started working as expected.

Take care and Happy New Year,
Mike Vail

[Michael Vail]

VBGamer, could you please merge this thread with below thread under the title of:

"Store Not Logging Transactions or Sending Emails for Paid Items"

https://www.smfhacks.com/index.php/topic,10308 and mark it RESOLVED?

THANK YOU!

[SMFHacks]

Done thanks for the information!! Yeah I feel like paypal is solving phasing out IPN which is a shame was really easy to setup originally.