PayPal Express Checkout - Server Problems

[Pagesdiy]

I have been using PayPal Pro for over a year and had no real problems.

However just over a week ago the express checkout stopped functioning correctly and now generates the following if you click the button:

'C:\Home\p\a\pagesdiycom\cgi-bin\os000001.pl' script produced no output

Actinic support have looked into the problem and run our site on their test server (where it worked fine). They now believe that the problem is to do with an error with the conversation that takes place between my site's server and the PayPal server.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be as my host company are unsure what could have caused the problem. The only change they say that has taken place with the server is a new version of php has been installed but actinic say php is not needed.

[TraceyG]

Hi Chris,

Can you check with your hosting company if they have a module on the server called mod_security? If so, maybe they could switch it off while you run a quick test to see if that is what is causing the problem. It may be the configuration of this module that is stopping it from working (something to try for starters anyway).

[Pagesdiy]

I have asked the hosting company to take a look at this forum with regard to what you suggest above. They have tried a few things but the problem still has not been resolved.

Whilst doing a site upload yesterday the following errors occurred:

Firstly an error message saying: 'FTP error changing directories to /pagesdiycom.'

I clicked retry and then got the following error: 'An FTP error occurred. Error: The connection with the server was terminated abnormally'

I clicked retry and then the message came saying file merge complete. Not sure if this could be linked to the PayPal express checkout problems?

[Darren B]

As Tracey said, do they run mod_security

this causes problems with HSBC call backs aswell

you could try adding
SecFilterEngine Off

to your htaccess file, although remember you are turning off a security feature, this might work but you can test it.

[jswain]

Using a windows box with IIS

HI all,

No we are running a windows box with IIS v6. We have around 20 customers using Actinic and everyone else is bespoke asp.

Out of all of the ACtinic sites we have, they run a mixture of HSBC, Protx and Paypal, but not Paypal Express.

Anyone have any more ideas?

[TraceyG]

I have been using PayPal Pro for over a year and had no real problems.

However just over a week ago the express checkout stopped functioning correctly and now generates the following if you click the button:

This suggests that something has changed as it was working and then suddenly stopped so I think we need to try and work out what that was. Chris, did you make any changes within Actinic, ie perl hack or upgrade etc. Jason was there any maintenance work done on the server. Can I also clarify that the Direct Payments part of Paypal Pro still works and it is only the Express side that has stopped working?

[jswain]

Changes

The only changes to the server around this time was a php upgrade to 5.2.8, but according to Actinic php isn't used and should therefore not effect Actinic?

[Pagesdiy]

I haven't made any changes to actinic. The only change I have made during December is an upgrade to the most recent version 9.0.3.0.0.0.IMMA

Yes I can confirm that the direct payments (credit cards etc.) are all working fine. It is the Express checkout only which has the above problem.

I can't be entirely sure when the problem first arose but based on the information in my PayPal account the last time a PayPal express checkout payment was made was on 16th December 2008. Since this date there have been no successful payments made by this method. The first time I was alerted by a customer to the problem was Wed 17th December 2008.

[TraceyG]

OK, the next thing to try is to replace the files relating to Paypal in case anything has become corrupt so can you:

- browse to your '<site>/CommonOCC' folder and backup the following files:

Act_OCCPayPalTemplate.html
OCCPaypalNVPTemplate.pl
OCCPaypalPro.pl
OCCPayPalTemplate.pl
PostPayPal.fil

- then browse to 'C:\Program Files\Actinic v9\OCCUpgrade\CommonOCC' and copy the files above and paste them into your '<site>/CommonOCC' folder

- make sure the following is done as per http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=30200

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to configure callbacks on PayPal : ( this is for both 'PayPal Website Payments' and for 'PayPal Website Payments Pro') - Version : 8.5.1 and above

On the Merchant interface (logged in to www.paypal.com)

- go to 'Edit profile | Website payment preferences | Auto Return' and set to 'off'.

- Open the {Site Dir}\CommonOCC\OCCPayPalTemplate.pl with a text editor like notepad

- After line:
AddPostValues ('&', 'bn', 'ActinicCat_Cart_ST', $ALWAYS, $NOENCODE); # hard code the provider

- insert the following line:
AddPostValues ('&', 'rm', '2', $ALWAYS, $NOENCODE); # Set form send method to POST

- save the file and exit editor

'Upload' for your site and PayPal should now be properly configured.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- refresh your site (Web | Refresh Website)
- try placing a test order using Paypal Express to see if it works.

[Pagesdiy]

Just completed the above and a web refresh but unfortunately problem still persists.

During the refresh I had the following issue again:

Firstly an error message saying: 'FTP error changing directories to /pagesdiycom.'

I clicked retry and then got the following error: 'An FTP error occurred. Error: The connection with the server was terminated abnormally'

I clicked retry and the upload continued.

Towards the end I got the following again:

'An FTP error occurred. Error: The connection with the server was terminated abnormally'

I clicked retry and the upload said it had completed.

Not sure if this issue could be linked to the PayPal Express Checkout Problem?

[TraceyG]

What happens when you click 'Test' on the 'Web | Network Setup' screen?

[Pagesdiy]

Just done a network test - All settings passed fine, no problems.