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Help for Product Download

Submitted by Skip on Sat, 12/22/2007 - 14:34
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

Hello,

I'm attempting to implement a simple one item e-commerce site using Paypal with Drupal. The site we are using currently has PHP4 but will be upgrading to PHP5 soon. This makes the ecommerce module a no-go as it requires PHP5.

It would be nice to have a "Buy Now" button that would allow the easy purchase. Once verified that it's paid for, return them to a page for download with a time limit and/or history. For what I'm doing a cart is overkill I think.

Can Ubercart assist in this? Is there a tutorial on setup for this scenario?

Is there a better option to use?

Any help appreciated!

Skip
permalink #1 Sat, 12/22/2007 - 20:16
torgosPizza

Posts: 1293
 Joined: 08/14/2007
Bug FinderEarly adopter... addicted to alphas.Getting busy with the Ubercode.

All of this is possible with Ubercart. Do a search here on the forum for "Cart Links" and "uc_file" or "file downloads". The uc_file (File Downloads) module in core allows for a time limit or ip-based download expiration, as well as max number of clicks.

Cart Links allows you to configure an easy button or link that will add a product to the cart with a configurable message and destination. You can also modify the "checkout success redirect" page to be the My Files page, if you like.

Hope this helps.

--

"Pain don't hurt." - Dalton

Mike Nelson's RiffTrax! www.rifftrax.com

permalink #2 Sat, 12/22/2007 - 21:53
spike
Posts: 10
 Joined: 12/21/2007

Hey Skip;

I as well am new to this and have for the past day and a half been attempting the same as you, the trouble is the 20 plus screens of setup required just to make this cart work. Than when you find an error and search the forum you see post after post of mods and this that and the other and it's getting to become a real headache.
at one point I did manage to get one paypal through but now I have several errors that need tracking down. I like what I see but it's a admin mess from my vantage point and not a lot of doc's that help the ones who are new here to get the flow.
Once simple little miss on the setup section cost me a full day of trouble shooting and I am sure it's to be found somewhere in all the distorted doc's. As to a clear example NO but if you find one PLEASE share it with me.

Spike

permalink #3 Sun, 12/23/2007 - 11:36
finkpad

Posts: 23
 Joined: 12/08/2007

Remember that ubercart is still in Alpha (as I type this it is anyway) I'm sure the digital media function will evolve but in the meantime I've listed the steps needed as a aide-memoire for me... hope it helps you out?

http://www.projex.com/how-configure-downloadable-ebooks-ecommerce-drupal...

permalink #4 Sun, 12/23/2007 - 14:33
spike
Posts: 10
 Joined: 12/21/2007

Hey finkpad NICE JOB!!!!!!!!!!

so at last someone who really gives a Damm about the new people Well Done.
Not sure that the information will apply to my case but at least it's not 25 lines of code modifications that don't mean a thing to us new dudes. Being of the ripe old age of 65 and jumping into this arena from the old days of C is a little over whelming at best. I have spent several hours reviewing tons and tons of inter code modifications on the forum that has NO value to the outside general user. As a matter of fact all that information has for the most part Pushed me to Joomla but I still keep touch here and with this new added information perhaps it will all come together in a more general user format. As a end product user I we could really give a Dam on the inter workings. Just to make a case fact I am not really sure just what models are needed to even make the cart run correct. It would be nice to have them listed from what I have seen I think the list is as outlined below

token
ubercart
ubrowser
tapir
uc_file_product " this one not sure and not sure just where it goes"
if you or someone could spend a couple of min's and at least post the correct list of modules where they need to be from in respect to the modules dir that would I am sure clear up a Huge amount of questions for me and many others.

Once again Great job and thanks for helping Skip and as well me.

Spike

permalink #5 Sun, 12/23/2007 - 16:07
agilpwc
Posts: 73
 Joined: 12/10/2007

I don't know what models you need, that could be the problem. LOL

But if you need a list of required modules you could try reading the Ubercart User Guide

http://www.ubercart.org/docs/user/294/installing_drupal_modules

permalink #6 Sun, 12/23/2007 - 16:50
spike
Posts: 10
 Joined: 12/21/2007

This forum is going around in circles for sure. Now most of you can understand my concern about using this application. post after post of code changes, module mods, etc, etc and yet when you go to the RTFB "Read the Fine Book" as posted below.
Required Modules
Core

These are modules that will be required for core functionality (making/receiving orders, displaying a shopping cart, displaying products, etc). The current list of required modules for core functionality are:

Tables API (TAPIr)
An API for creating extensible tables, used in Übercart extensively.
uBrowser
A browser for a Drupal vocabulary hierarchy, used in Übercart for selecting products from the Übercart catalog hierarchy.
Token
An API that allows for text substitutions, used in Übercart templates for emailing customers/store administrators.
Workflow-ng

NOTHING but nothing is said about the uc_file.module that most of the forum is chatting about with coding issues. I did not come here to upset anyone I came here to advance my knowledge with the application and yet all I seem to get is sections of module changes that from a user standpoint should be of NO concern.
If this application requires the modules to be addressed with code changes than I would say that about 90 % of the general users are in serious trouble.
what I fail to understand is why cant one of the so called developers take the time to address all this from one end of this forum to the other it's the same old story.the general tout is read the doc's NOT!!!! the other is Hey man this is Alpha remember!!! now I ask what has any of this to do with a clear set of modules posted. seems like No one has the answer to this very basic question. Do we need uc_file.????? or not???? one post stated is was now in the core humm
come on all you Tech's spend some time and feed your client base or like myself they will run off to other products for the lack of a common point of direction in the doc's section.
all this talk and yet noting to show for a simple yes or no. but yet a whole lot of coding talk. Well thats my sound off for the end of this year it's not been a pleasure attempting to find a simple answer to a basic question so off to Joomla I go at least they provide answers and the Damm thing works.

permalink #7 Sun, 12/23/2007 - 18:18
agilpwc
Posts: 73
 Joined: 12/10/2007

For new people that come across this thread, no "code changes" are needed to get a perfectly working store. This is referring to the current Alpha8.

I first installed ubercart two weeks ago and it is working great for me. I'm doing file downloads and paypal pro for payments. I couldn't be happier with ubercart.

To answer the million dollar question, Yes you need the file download module (uc_file) if you are selling file downloads.

No one probably thought of documenting this because it seems self evident. Holy crap you need the "blog" module if you want a blog. Stop the presses.

The text you pasted into your comment from the user guide, tells you exactly what is purports to say and is not lacking in any way: "The current list of required modules for core functionality are:" ......

File downloads do not fall under "core functionality". Because not everyone is selling "file downloads".

For example some people are selling the newly published book "Ubercart for Dummies" and need the shipping module. But not everyone needs the shipping module, so it is not listed in the required core modules.

But I don't think it is documented anywhere that if you are shipping products then you need the shipping module. It is just assumed that you have some level of blank (I don't know what the word is)

permalink #8 Sun, 12/23/2007 - 20:01
spike
Posts: 10
 Joined: 12/21/2007

Sorry I only have this short reply for you.

Your a ASShole.

permalink #9 Mon, 12/24/2007 - 11:33
Lyle

Posts: 2244
 Joined: 08/07/2007
AdministratoreLiTe!

Wow. Things sure have gotten out of hand over here.

I think the main problem is that we're expected to work on the weekends. We don't. Certainly not the weekend before Christmas. Now that Monday is here, spike, Shawn has been able to answer your question.

Yes, the documentation is terrible. We know because we wrote it. Part of that's because we are still in alpha and making significant changes to the code base. I don't like writing documentation anyway, and I'm even less inclined to do it when I think I might have to redo it in a couple of weeks. Inaccurate, out of date documentation is worse than none at all.

agilpwc, don't insult other people's intelligence. We don't want that kind of behavior here. Namecalling like little children doesn't help your chances of getting help, either.

permalink #10 Mon, 12/24/2007 - 20:41
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

I see that "Cart Links" and "File downloads" are modules that are already included with Alpha 8 so at least I don't have to chase 'em down. I gather this means they are well integrated as they came with the initial download of Ubercart.

Guess I have quite a bit of reading and configuring to try now. Does the PayPal module currently work with IPN for payment notification? That's the payment method the customer is using for now. I worked with PP a long time ago and it's quite a bit different now than it was back then. The key then was to have IPN notify you that payment was received so you could forward the purchaser on to the download area. Seems I had to download a script somewhere to do all that.

Thanks for all the time you've put into this, it's appreciated!

Skip

permalink #11 Mon, 12/24/2007 - 22:08
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

I'm not 100% new to ecommerce, but I am very new to ecommerce on Drupal. Drupal I've used on several sites since 4.6 was first released.

What kind of errors are you seeing from PayPal? Are you only using the sandbox?

What I've been doing is keeping two browsers open. One for the docs on Ubercart and one showing the site I'm working on. That helps me follow the instructions step by step.

I had installed the ecommerce Drupal module, but after reading on here about problems removing one and installing the other, decided to dump the existing site and start from scratch as the site is still new with no real data yet.

It would be nice to see a way to completely remove all of a module. Perhaps in a later Drupal version we'll see that.

permalink #12 Tue, 12/25/2007 - 21:31
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

spike wrote:
I as well am new to this and have for the past day and a half been attempting the same as you, the trouble is the 20 plus screens of setup required just to make this cart work. Than when you find an error and search the forum you see post after post of mods and this that and the other and it's getting to become a real headache.

I think the 20 plus screens are required to get everything right and allow flexibility. I think I'd rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them!

I'd look at the dates on the mods and see if they are still relevant. As this is a developing set of modules right now, a lot of those mods are already incorporated or no longer needed.

permalink #13 Tue, 12/25/2007 - 21:34
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

torgosPizza wrote:
All of this is possible with Ubercart. Do a search here on the forum for "Cart Links" and "uc_file" or "file downloads". The uc_file (File Downloads) module in core allows for a time limit or ip-based download expiration, as well as max number of clicks.

Cart Links allows you to configure an easy button or link that will add a product to the cart with a configurable message and destination. You can also modify the "checkout success redirect" page to be the My Files page, if you like.

Hope this helps.


I'm attempting to understand "Cart Links". Right now the docs for it seem a bit obtuse, perhaps it will be better with time? Laughing out loud Is there somewhere that is a bit more hand holding than the short bit in the module? Perhaps some examples I can look at to learn?

I need to modify the "checkout success redirect" page to be the My Files page but have no clue where to modify it at or where the "My Files" page is located or what to put in the redirect to get it there.

I'm learning, but a bit slowly with the holidays and such. Laughing out loud

Thanks for any help you can give!

Skip

permalink #14 Tue, 12/25/2007 - 21:35
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

finkpad wrote:
Remember that ubercart is still in Alpha (as I type this it is anyway) I'm sure the digital media function will evolve but in the meantime I've listed the steps needed as a aide-memoire for me... hope it helps you out?

http://www.projex.com/how-configure-downloadable-ebooks-ecommerce-drupal-ubercart


This helped quite a bit. Thanks!!

permalink #15 Wed, 12/26/2007 - 14:10
torgosPizza

Posts: 1293
 Joined: 08/14/2007
Bug FinderEarly adopter... addicted to alphas.Getting busy with the Ubercode.

Sure, on our site we use a link like this:

http://shop.rifftrax.com/cart/add/i111Cat-p111_q1?destination=cart

To break it down, the link has to be /cart/add/[your options here]

In my example, this is what I'm doing:
- i111Cat: this means in my "Cart Links reports" in the Reports admin area, I am giving this particular link the Info label "111Cat", which describes that the user clicked the link in our catalog as opposed to a product page. The 111 is the node number. This variable can be any url-safe value you want.
- p111: This is the Product node id of the product we want them to purchase.
- q1: How many Quantities to add to the cart of this product.
- ?destination=cart: After clicking the link, redirect them to /cart. If you wanted to make this go to /user/#/files, you would have to modify your Template file to grab the $user->uid value from the $user global object.

<?php
global $user;
$cartlink = "/cart/add/p111_q1?destination=user/".$user->uid."/files";
?>

You can also include a specific Option / Attribute combination in your Cart Link. For instance, another example from our site:

http://shop.rifftrax.com/cart/add/p94_a7o19_q1?destination=cart

This means we are adding product node 94, attribute 7, option 19, and redirecting them to the cart. Unfortunately right now these values can only be found by looking at them in your database, or by editing an attribute or option and noting the values of each.

Main thing to remember is you can have these values in any order you want, as long as you separate the main "chunks" with underscores ("_"). Note the way Attribute/Option combos are lumped together, and the destination value is formatted as a query.

--

"Pain don't hurt." - Dalton

Mike Nelson's RiffTrax! www.rifftrax.com

permalink #16 Wed, 12/26/2007 - 15:44
Skip
Posts: 13
 Joined: 12/18/2007

torgosPizza wrote:
Sure, on our site we use a link like this:

http://shop.rifftrax.com/cart/add/i111Cat-p111_q1?destination=cart

To break it down, the link has to be /cart/add/[your options here]

In my example, this is what I'm doing:
- i111Cat: this means in my "Cart Links reports" in the Reports admin area, I am giving this particular link the Info label "111Cat", which describes that the user clicked the link in our catalog as opposed to a product page. The 111 is the node number. This variable can be any url-safe value you want.
- p111: This is the Product node id of the product we want them to purchase.
- q1: How many Quantities to add to the cart of this product.
- ?destination=cart: After clicking the link, redirect them to /cart. If you wanted to make this go to /user/#/files, you would have to modify your Template file to grab the $user->uid value from the $user global object.

<?php
global $user;
$cartlink = "/cart/add/p111_q1?destination=user/".$user->uid."/files";
?>

You can also include a specific Option / Attribute combination in your Cart Link. For instance, another example from our site:

http://shop.rifftrax.com/cart/add/p94_a7o19_q1?destination=cart

This means we are adding product node 94, attribute 7, option 19, and redirecting them to the cart. Unfortunately right now these values can only be found by looking at them in your database, or by editing an attribute or option and noting the values of each.

Main thing to remember is you can have these values in any order you want, as long as you separate the main "chunks" with underscores ("_"). Note the way Attribute/Option combos are lumped together, and the destination value is formatted as a query.


That helped quite a bit. For some reason my brain (is there one?) had me convinced it was going to create a button. Don't ask me where I got that from as I have no clue. Your explanation does help me understand the Cart Links a lot better though! Thanks!