274 replies to this topic

[dreamscape]

This thread is for support of my MultiGeoZone MultiTable Shipping Module.

Summary said:

Allows shipping to multiple Geo Zones using multiple tables.

Geo Zones are defined in the osCommerce administration tool, so exactly what makes up each zone is left in the hands of the user. Geo Zones can be just specific zones of a country, a number of different countries, or any combination thereof.

This contribution officially renders my MultiRegion MultiTable module obsolete. No more update or support will be provided for the MultiRegion MultiTable module, as the MultiGeoZone MultiTable module represents the next generation of this shipping module line. Anyone currently using the MultiRegion and experiencing problems or wishing to have the new features will need to upgrade to the MultiGeoZone module.

Download From:
http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,2571

Announcements regarding this module:
http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=119084

[ls129]

Installed the new module today and followed all the instructions in the readme/install/forum and have a couple of newbie issues:

1) it doesnt show up in the checkout procedure as a shipping method option

2) where/how are each of the the 3 Geo Zone tables used

3) I've added "Shp: UK" to the tax zone list and uploaded the Europe and US from the SQL files. However, couldnt figure out if there's a way in the osCommerce admin to relate "Shp: UK" to  GB/IE or do i have to write a sql query for that.

thanks

[dreamscape]

ls129, on Nov 1 2004, 11:37 AM, said:

1) it doesnt show up in the checkout procedure as a shipping method option

It will only show up if the customer is in one of the Geo Zones you have set to use with the module

ls129, on Nov 1 2004, 11:37 AM, said:

2) where/how are each of the the 3 Geo Zone tables used

I'm not sure I understand your question.  Please elaborate.

ls129, on Nov 1 2004, 11:37 AM, said:

3) I've added "Shp: UK" to the tax zone list and uploaded the Europe and US from the SQL files. However, couldnt figure out if there's a way in the osCommerce admin to relate "Shp: UK" to  GB/IE or do i have to write a sql query for that.

I have provided the pre-built SQL files for people to use, if they need one of those Geo Zones, as it saves time having to make them yourself.  I have not included a Europe SQL file.  I have included a European Union SQL file, but this does not include all of Europe.

To build your Geo Zones, you started off correctly.  Now when in the osCommerce admin and looking at the list of your "tax zones", click on the folder beside "Shp: UK" and this will take you inside of the "Shp: UK" Geo Zone and there you will be able to add countries and zones to the "Shp: UK" Geo Zone.  I hope that makes sense.

PS.  Geo Zones used with the module cannot overlap.  So if you are using the European Union that I supplied and also want to be using a separate one for the UK, you will need to go inside of the European Union Geo Zone and delete the UK from the country/zone list of the European Union Geo Zone.  If you are not using the European Union Geo Zone with the module, then you do not have to worry about it.

[ls129]

Thank you very much!

I found the answer to my previous number 2 question by editing ..../modules/shipping/mzmt.php . you gave an example there of using the tables for UPS-ground, UPS-next day, etc.

[dreamscape]

ls129, on Nov 1 2004, 05:00 PM, said:

I found the answer to my previous number 2 question by editing ..../modules/shipping/mzmt.php . you gave an example there of using the tables for UPS-ground, UPS-next day, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, ok I see what you mean now.  Thanks for pointing out that I did not really discuss that in the documentation.  I'll be sure to update it for the next release to explain that the tables can be used as different "methods", i.e, UPS ground, UPS 2nd day, USPS priority, etc.

[ls129]

dreamscape, on Nov 1 2004, 11:06 PM, said:

Oh, ok I see what you mean now.  Thanks for pointing out that I did not really discuss that in the documentation.  I'll be sure to update it for the next release to explain that the tables can be used as different "methods", i.e, UPS ground, UPS 2nd day, USPS priority, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and one last comment..
I needed another zone because I wanted to exclude UK from "rest of the world" and use another contributed dedicated Royal Mail module for UK (that supports added delivery insurance costs). The exclusion is acheived by having a Zone that includes only UK but the rule is for shipping weight > 1000kg ie: never happens.

So I added another zone and appended the lines as instructed in readme.htm to the file ../includes/language/english/modules/mzmt.php and then got a bunch of php errors when going to admin->modules->shipping about missing SOMETHING_ZONE_4_ID .
problem resolved when i removed the "MultiGeoZone MultiTable" module and reinstalled it.

Thanks again for this great contrib.

[dreamscape]

ls129, on Nov 1 2004, 05:56 PM, said:

problem resolved when i removed the "MultiGeoZone MultiTable" module and reinstalled it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes if ever change the number of zones or tables in the configuration, you will have to remove and reinstall the module from the admin.  I had thought I mentioned this in the readme, but perhaps I forgot to.

[Melinda Odom]

The download link will not let me download this contribution.

Can you send it to me?

[dreamscape]

modom, on Nov 1 2004, 11:59 PM, said:

The download link will not let me download this contribution.

Can you send it to me?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is odd.  I just check and both download links are working (the pair site and the mirror).  PM your email and I will email it to you.

[myb]

OK, first of all, good job.  The guy I'm doing this for said, "but I want to charge different rates to different provinces, and at different price breaks".  Sheesh I said in my head, but then I found your contribution.  It seems as though it will do exactly what is required.

I've got it installed, and after a few minutes of head scratching, I realised I need to specify a different zone for each province, and then put that province inside that tax zone. Make sense, but I didn't realise I had to do that at first.

I've noticed one problem with it that I haven't figured out.  It says the following in the shipping line in the Order Confirmation:

United Parcel Service (UPS) (Ground):    $30.00

Now we won't be shipping using UPS.  We don't actually want to specify which method we'll use.  Where is geting this from, I don't have the UPS module turned on of course.  Is it hard coded somewhere?  I thought I'd ask the expert before I dig in and break it.

Thanks again for a great contrib.

Lane

[dreamscape]

myb, on Nov 2 2004, 05:24 PM, said:

I've noticed one problem with it that I haven't figured out.  It says the following in the shipping line in the Order Confirmation:

United Parcel Service (UPS) (Ground):    $30.00

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In the module's language file is where you give the shipping its name for each geo zone being used in the module.  default it has 3 example, with the 1st being UPS and the other 2 are blank.  If you use more than 3 geo zones with the module, you'll need to add more defines to the language file.  This is explained in the readme and also in the comments at the top of the language file, how to add more defines

[myb]

OK, I didn't catch the fact the shipping method would be in the language file.  I see in the readme where it's mentioned, but I'm just not understanding everything about it immediately.  Could be worse, I coulda use ta bin smart.

I've changed it to say only Shipping, no icon etc. and something broke.  I'm stuck on checkout_shipping.php (Delivery Information).  When I click on continue, it just reloads the same page.  I had this happen before when I had messed up my countries. The actual shipping amount shows correctly though, so that part of things is working.  If you have a clue what happened, I'd appreciate your insight.

I'm going to try restoring your original file and see if it works.  I fear some worse went kerploing though.  This is my first time using oscommerce, so I'm really learning it's in and outs at the same time as installing new modules etc.  It's an adventure!

[myb]

Well, I introduced an error when I modified the file.  I obliterated the opening < ? php.

It seems to be all good now.  Quality stuff!

The readme could more fully explain some aspects of this in my opinion so people knew to this (like me) can have a little extra helping hand.  But then, I guess that's what this support thread is all about.

[dreamscape]

myb, on Nov 2 2004, 06:10 PM, said:

The readme could more fully explain some aspects of this in my opinion so people knew to this (like me) can have a little extra helping hand.  But then, I guess that's what this support thread is all about.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well keep in mind this is the first release of this contribution, and I wrote up the readme 30 minutes before releasing it.  I don't really have the time to contemplate every scenario or question that might come up.  And unfortunately I do not have a team at my disposal to do so for me

So then the best I can do with my limited time is to provide a basic readme, and expand it and add to it as questions and concerns like yours come up

Edited by dreamscape, 03 November 2004 - 12:41 AM.

[myb]

I bet thinking like someone who is unfamiliar with oscommerce would be difficult.  Difficult to get yourself in that headspace.  I'll explain my thinking in the event it helps you.

The key thing for me to come to understand  was that I needed to define a tax zone, and *then go inside that zone* and define a province/state/country for that zone.  Since my application needs different rates for different provinces, I need a tax zone for each.  I first thought I could specify just the country of Canada as a Tax zone, and then have my provinces inside that zone.  But that means one rate for all of them.

Also, I've only used one shipping table for each zone.  Am I correct in assuming I would get to select between ground, air etc. on the delivery screen if I had more than one table?  This wasn't evident to me in the docs, but is my guess after thinking about it.

Thanks again.  ( I say thanks a lot because I'm Canadian )

[dreamscape]

myb, on Nov 2 2004, 10:17 PM, said:

Also, I've only used one shipping table for each zone.  Am I correct in assuming I would get to select between ground, air etc. on the delivery screen if I had more than one table?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes the tables essentially can be viewed as different shipping methods (ground, 2nd day, overnight air, express, priority, etc, etc).

You can have as many or as few tables per zones as you like.  And also, say one zone needs 4 methods but others only need 2, that is no problem, because if you leave a table blank, it just will ignore it, so for one zone you could use just 1 table and for another use 4 and another use 3, etc.

[ExtraB]

I have a quick question. Can Canadian Provinces be broken down futhern into more specific zones? For example, by county or city?

The reason I ask is because I am shipping from Canada Ontario.... and to ship to different areas of a province can vary greatly in price depending on the weight of the packages being sent. For example to send a 3.3 pound package in Ontario varies anywhere from $16 to $50.70.

I suspect that osCommerce is not set up to handle this. I am also sort of new to all of this and to php, although my web design and html experence has been helpful.

What files would have to be modified in order to set up osCommerce so that the provinces can be broken down further by city or town? And then define each city or groups of cities as zones?

Just wondering if this is possible

Thanks
Eric B
www.aj2000.com

dreamscape, on Nov 3 2004, 04:53 AM, said:

Yes the tables essentially can be viewed as different shipping methods (ground, 2nd day, overnight air, express, priority, etc, etc).

You can have as many or as few tables per zones as you like.  And also, say one zone needs 4 methods but others only need 2, that is no problem, because if you leave a table blank, it just will ignore it, so for one zone you could use just 1 table and for another use 4 and another use 3, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[myb]

I'm new to this too, but let me give my two cents.

I think one way to do it is to specify those 'sub-zones' in where the various shipping options would otherwise go.  (I.E. the tables area)  Instead of UPS - Ground, Air-Mail etc. you could have North Ontario, West Ontario etc.  This would mean the customer needs to pick their shipping area in the delivery options, like they would currently pick their shipping method.  It wouldn't be automatic.

Maybe the better way to is to make zones for each of those options.  But then I'm not sure how the right one would be picked.  It would normally select the zone based on the province code in the address area of the account.  This makes it seem like you couldn't really subdivided a zone below a state or province.  Well, you could make your zones subprovincial, and I guess you could have tax rates in for them all.  But the problem is, how do you get your customer to enter this in their address area.  Could it be in a popup?  It could be county/municipality based.  Bah, this is over my head on how to deal with it all.

You know, a better way would be to have a table of shipping rates based on the postal code.  That would be one mother of a table though!

Edited by myb, 04 November 2004 - 02:43 AM.

[loveacrossborders]

I was recently married and I live in Bangkok, Thailand. My wife and I are starting a small online "Thai Shop". It's 1AM right now  .

This morning I installed MultiGeoZone MultiTable Shipping Module, however, I've been working with oscommerce for just one week, so even though I've been reading the MultiGeoZone MultiTable Shipping Module information all day, I'm just lost   . The only other contribution that I've installed is the Header Tags Controller. Perhaps I'm way over my head with MultiGeoZone MultiTable Shipping Module .

I'm curious about a few things to get on the path to understanding this..

A) With using MultiGeoZone MultiTable Shipping Module does it matter whether [Admin Control Panel : Modules : Shipping : Zone Rates] is selected as being "true"?

I've already uploaded the two mzmt.php to my oscommerce shop. But I'm confused about what I have to edit   . Where do I begin? Sorry for being so vague.

C) For each GeoZone, do I have to upload a corresponding .sql file? I'm sorry that I sound so hopeless. It's just that this is the first time that I've ever worked with a mySQL database.
---
Shipping rates from Thailand vary from $25/KG for the U.S, $16/KG for Spain, and many rates in between. Thus, we're trying to set-up the shipping for different rates for probably around 10 Geo-Zones for various countries.

You can catch me on AIM - 'applesbliss' or Yahoo - 'loveacrossborders'.

Thank you - "Kop Khun Maak Krap!",
your friends,
Shaun & Natlada :-)

[loveacrossborders]

See the difference that a day can make   ? I got the whole thing figured out. My problem was that I seemed to either consciously or subconsciously ignore the part of the Readme file that clearly says that "MultiGeoZone MultiTable" will be under Shipping Modules in the Control Panel. Stupid user error   . Please forgive me for overlooking such a basic detail.