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Paypal issue
Hi, I recently had to shift servers and since then I got an email from paypal:

Quote:
Please check your server that handles PayPal Instant Payment Notifications (IPN). Instant Payment Notifications sent to the following URL(s) are failing:

http://www.absolutedirectory.com/...n/links/postback.cgi

If you do not recognize this URL, you may be using a service provider that is using IPN on your behalf. Please contact your service provider with the above information. If this problem continues, IPNs may be disabled for your account.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue.

So I spoke to the host techie who is migrating all my sites to the new server and his reply was:

Quote:
At first glance this seems like a permission problem on the script being executed or something similar, but permission levels are OK and the script still generates the dreaded error 500.

I can confirm that the other Perl CGI scripts work and the directory is overall operational, so it is only this one that makes problems and nothing distinguishes it from the setup of the others.

After extensive digging in the web server error logs found the following records:

==> /usr/local/apache/logs/error_log <==
[Thu Feb 04 12:37:46 2010] [error] [client IP_address] postback.cgi called, but no payment method postback could be identified. at postback.cgi line 60.
[Thu Feb 04 12:37:46 2010] [error] [client IP_address] Premature end of script headers: postback.cgi
[Thu Feb 04 12:37:46 2010] [error] [client IP_address] File does not exist: /home/absolutd/public_html/500.shtml

The error message "postback.cgi called, but no payment method postback could be identified. at postback.cgi line 60" does not seem a generic error message that a script has dies, it includes explanation of the problem, so it must be generated by the Perl interpreter and not the web server. The Perl interpreter does not know of payments, so it must be an error generated by the script itself.

Opening the file I found this comment on top:

# This file (postback.cgi) is meant for handling postback for "remote" payment
# methods such as PayPal or WorldPay. Normal users should not reach this page,
# as this typically produces a blank (or nearly blank) page. No sort of user
# authentication is performed, and no user-based functionality is provided.
# Additionally, if no postback is found, or an error occurs, an ordinary die
# (producing a 500 Internal Server Error) is performed - payment providers
# often recognize this and will post the request again after a certain amount
# of time.

All is self explanatory about this comment and the script generates the error on line 60 which says:

die 'postback.cgi called, but no payment method postback could be identified.';

This confirms that the error is generated by the script termination with the "die" function and that the Error 500 is generated because this file should not be called by a web browser because it does not send the web server headers.

So, looks like this is normally not called and should be properly addressed by the respective payment system.

I would however recommend that you take this report along with the report from Paypal to the developers of the script so they can guide you if this is normal or not.

Further to this, you must know that with the migration, the IP address at which your site operate is changed to 213.229.79.204, so if there is some setting that should reflect which addresses are allowed to generate payments, this has to be set to this IP or the server primary IP that is 213.229.77.93.

Can anyone shed any light please? I am running 3.1.0 Gossamer Links if that helps find the cause of the error.

Many thanks,

Jez.
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
Hi,

It sounds like they are just "testing "peoples IPN URl's (I had a similar email this morning)

The problem with that, is most IPN scripts don't return anything - unless a valid payment was made. So, in this case - if someone were to go to that URL directly - its just gonna give a 500 IS error, as it doesn't actually know what its supposed to do (it looks for postback types, so it knows what payment processor its coming from)

I'd suggest doing a proper payment, and seeing i that works. If it doesn't work, then its gonna be something deeper (but I'd imagine it would work just fine ;))

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
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Re: [Andy] Paypal issue In reply to
Hi Andy,

Thanks a lot for the reply.

I have had a legitmate payment since but I have no idea if they got notfication or not. If I test it what should I be looking for exactly?

Thanks again,

Jez.
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
Hi,

When it really depends on what configuration you have setup for payments. The best way, is to just check for Payments > "Successful Payments" in the admin area. Once your test payment has gone through, it should show up there.

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!
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Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
Man, I keep getting that email from PayPal (2 this morning, and one yesterday). I've disabled IPN from my paypal account, but its still coming through - I wish there was an option to disable that email!

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!
Quote Reply
Re: [Andy] Paypal issue In reply to
Me too Andy. What do you think is the best thing to do about it? Just leave it and see what they do is there anything else?

I got 3 new notifications too.
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
I'm not sure - I may post something on their forums or something - as its really starting to piss me off (especially if its gonna do 2 emails a day, for years to come!)

Will let you know what I find.

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!
Quote Reply
Re: [Andy] Paypal issue In reply to
Thanks Andy. Yes it's a bit annoying - I am getting more notifications than I am submissions at the moment! :)
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
It seems that PayPal just added this notification system in the past few days, since a lot of people are getting these notifications. I've been debugging this on a couple of installs to see which postbacks are failing. More to come.

Adrian
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
I'm not getting many postbacks from this install here, so can I get ssh access to your install to add some debug and to monitor it?

Adrian
Quote Reply
Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Adrian, did you mean me? If so let me know what you need.
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
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Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
Yup, if you e-mail me ssh and admin panel info, I can add some debug to your postback to track this down.

Adrian
Quote Reply
Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Try making this change to your admin/Links/Config/Data.pm:

Search for 'postback' and you should find something like:
Code:
'postback' => [
{
'method' => 'PayPal',
'type' => 'remote',
'var' => 'txn_type'
},

txn_type may be 'txn_id'. Replace the string with recipient_email, so that it looks like:

Code:
'postback' => [
{
'method' => 'PayPal',
'type' => 'remote',
'var' => 'receiver_email'
},

Let me know if that fixes the issue and I'll push out an update.

Adrian

Last edited by:

brewt: Feb 10, 2010, 10:42 AM
Quote Reply
Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Adrian, I don't want to worry you but I don't have that file! Or that file structure come to that. Is it as I am still running 3.1.0?
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
You definitely have that file or your glinks install wouldn't be working.

Adrian
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Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Thanks for doing that Adrian.

I am taking payments and I am getting notification via email but the new entries are not showing up under "payments" as the usually would. Do you think this is due to paypal carrying out the threat of disabling IPN or still an issue with the script?

Please advise as I don't want to have to refund anyone :-)
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
Jez wrote:
Thanks for doing that Adrian.

I am taking payments and I am getting notification via email but the new entries are not showing up under "payments" as the usually would. Do you think this is due to paypal carrying out the threat of disabling IPN or still an issue with the script?

Please advise as I don't want to have to refund anyone :-)

Ugh, so sorry, used the wrong IPN variable name. I've fixed my post above and fixed your copy. Let me know if the payments start going through again and if the paypal e-mails stop.

Adrian

Last edited by:

brewt: Feb 10, 2010, 10:47 AM
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Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Adrian,

Thanks so much. All seems to be working today. I had to re enable IPN at paypal as it had been disabled.

All is well now though - I'll let you know if it changes.

Thanks again.

Jez.
http://www.absolutedirectory.com
Quote Reply
Re: [Jez] Paypal issue In reply to
Hi Adrian

I also had this IPN issue, with Paypal disabling my IPN so listings submitted and paid were not showing in the G Links payment log.

They had disabled my IPN because of failed IPN...

All payments from the site were OK, successful IPN (until they disabled IPN)

The failed IPNs were being generated by payments to paypal either by email or using Paypal VT virtual terminal (card payments by telephone)

I have re-enabled IPN but still get IPN errors generated by email or VT

Will the proposed update fix the IPN errors generated by email & VT?

Thanks
Colin Thompson

Last edited by:

colintho: Feb 16, 2010, 1:38 AM
Quote Reply
Re: [colintho] Paypal issue In reply to
It seems to have for other people. Let me know if it does or does not work for you and I'll push this out as an update.

Adrian
Quote Reply
Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Adrian

normal listing payment from site = IPN was OK

VT virtual terminal payment, card payment processing via Paypal = IPN failed

regards

Colin
Colin Thompson
Quote Reply
Re: [colintho] Paypal issue In reply to
If you have other things set up with PayPal, you should turn off the IPN url from PayPal and set your IPN URL in the PayPal settings in glinks.

Adrian
Quote Reply
Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
Hi Adrian

will the IPN work if I turn off IPN in Paypal?

regards

Colin
Colin Thompson
Quote Reply
Re: [colintho] Paypal issue In reply to
I believe it should. That's how it worked previously, not sure if they changed anything though.

Adrian
Quote Reply
Re: [brewt] Paypal issue In reply to
I've just tested this and it looks like it doesn't work.

I disabled the IPN in Paypal then made a 'test' listing payment = no IPN sent to the site, no payment recorded against 'test listing' in the G Links payment log

I checked Paypal, within IPN history log I could see the transaction - marked with Disabled in the IPN status column, no IPN sent to the site.

I will try and pursue this with Paypal with respect to the VT card payments, as I don't believe these VT transactions should really be generating an IPN

Although, I have already contacted Paypal about this and their reply was to have the postback script modified to provide a response to VT payments??

How can the website be expected to identify VT payments??

How does the 'manual' payment function work within G Links?

Is there a solution with G Links?
Colin Thompson
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