paypal and php

[anfetienne]

ok i have a form that users fill in and that form submits the details securely to paypal for payment.....the reason for this is so users dont have to fill out everything twice (i hate it and i guess many people do).

there is one problem i have with paypal though.....i'd like to send a confirmation email out with all the details of the purchase and also a username and password to a online resource centre that i created. paypal doesn't have this function it only allows for invoices of purchase which is a standard when you purchase something using paypal.....is there anyway i can get the email address out of the form to store into a database so that i can use it in my coding to send an email?

as it is a paypal form all details usually go straight to paypal.....is there anyway i can double the email address and save it to a database so i can send the needed email?

thanks

[anfetienne]

ok new question......when someone fills in a form....can the value of a field populate a var without the form being submitted?

[Markus]

@anfetienne
Um, through AJAX I guess you could. Strange question, though.

[Markus]

@anfetienne
Are you submitting the form to paypal?

I guess you could, using javascript, when the submit button is hit, use AJAX to send the email address to a php page and store that in a database, and then when that request is done, use javascript to resubmit the same form to paypal.

[anfetienne]

i have no clue on how to use ajax.....is there not a way that i could do it all with php?

[Markus]

You could have the form submit to a php page (of yours), take the form data, process it, and then use cURL to post the data to paypal.

Something like below:

<?php
 
    # The data we want to POST.
    $paypal_post = array('username' => 'markus', 'info' => 'is the daddy!');
 
    # cURL Handle.
    $handle = curl_init('http://localhost/test.2.php');
 
    # Set the POST option.
    curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_POST, TRUE);
 
    # Load the POST data into cURL
    curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $paypal_post);
 
    # We'll get any output from the page.
    curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, TRUE);
 
    # Store the return from curl_exec()
    $return = curl_exec($handle);
 
    echo $return;
 
?>

[anfetienne]

so $handle is the url that i redirect back to so it can transfer to paypal?

[Markus]

@anfetienne
curl_init() should point to the location you want to POST data (in your case, paypal's site).

[anfetienne]

ok i understand that but to get the items into an array would i do something like this?

e.g.

$var1 = $_POST['name']
$var2 = $_POST['email']
$var3 = $_POST['country']

$paypal_post = array('name' => '$var1', 'email' => '$var2', 'country' => '$var3');

[Markus]

Just pass it the POST array.

curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $_POST);
 

:)

[anfetienne]

so if i use

$var1 = $_POST['name']
$var2 = $_POST['email']
$var3 = $_POST['country']

i can use......without needing to use array()

curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $_POST);

[Markus]

@anfetienne
Exactly.

- mark.

[anfetienne]

thanks again markus

I am going to make the file I need and ill get back to you with the results

[Markus]

@anfetienne
OK. Good luck :)

- mark.

[anfetienne]

hi,

I have tried the coding but the result is just a blank page that looks like its loading something but nothing actually happens.

you can see the form at http://theauctionwinners.com/test1/

and the coding that i used for the curl is this

<?php
 
$on0 = $_POST['on0'];
$firstName = $_POST['first_name'];
$lastName = $_POST['last_name'];
$address1 = $_POST['address1'];
$address2 = $_POST['address2'];
$city = $_POST['city'];
$state = $_POST['state'];
$zip = $_POST['zip'];
$os0 = $_POST['os0'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
$upload = $_POST['upload'];
$cmd = $_POST['cmd'];
$business = $_POST['business'];
$itemName1 = $_POST['item_name_1'];
$quantity1 = $_POST['quantity_1'];
$amount1 = $_POST['amount_1'];
$shipping1 = $_POST['shipping_1'];
$itemNumber1 = $_POST['item_number_1'];
$country = $_POST['country'];
$currencyCode = $_POST['currency_code'];
$noShipping = $_POST['no_shipping'];
$return = $_POST['return'];
$bn = $_POST['bn'];
$addressOverride = $_POST['address_override'];
 
 
# cURL Handle.
$handle = curl_init('https://www.paypal.co.uk/cgi-bin/webscr');
 
# Set the POST option.
curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_POST, TRUE);
 
# Load the POST data into cURL
curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $_POST);
 
# We'll get any output from the page.
curl_setopt($handle, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, TRUE);
 
# Store the return from curl_exec()
$return = curl_exec($handle);
 
echo $return;
 
?>
 

[Markus]

Well apparently you cannot cURL data to paypal - it won't allow it. Shame.

You may have to build a query string (GET) and then redirect to that url once you have processed the information.

 
// Process your information
// and then ...
$firstname = $_POST['first_name'];
$secondname = $_POST['second_name'];
// etc
 
$query_string = "?first_name={$first_name}&second_name={$second_name}";
$query_string = urlencode($query_string);
 
header("Location: http://paypal.com/{$query_string}");
 
 

[anfetienne]

so basically use $firstname = $_GET['first_name'];

then process it using

$firstname = $_POST['first_name'];

[Markus]

@anfetienne
No, not quite. You don't need to use GET, you just build up the query string (paypal will use GET on their side).

[anfetienne]

ahhhh i see.....ok thanks markus.

i'll try it out and come back with the results

[anfetienne]

hi,

here are my results....no luck on getting data to paypal....my guess is the link is wrong

Not Found
The requested URL /cgi-bin/webscr?on0=shipping+To:&first_name=sdfsd&last_name =fsdfsdf&address1=dsfsdf&address2=sdfsdf&city=sdfs df&state=sdfsdf&zip=sdfsdf&os0=Anguilla&email=anf. [e-mail]&upload=1&cmd=_cart&business =[e-mail]&item_name_1=Adam+Ginsberg's+The+Cl osely+Guarded+Secrets+Of+An+Ebay+Millionaire+-+Make+Money+On+eBay+-+FAST+TRACK+DVD+Home+Study+Course+(Inc+VAT)&quanti ty_1=1&amount_1=97.00&shipping_1=35.7&item_number_ 1=TAW-AG_2008-AI&country=AI&currency_code=GBP&no_shipping=2&retu rn=http://www.theauctionwinners.com/main&bn=TheAuctionWinners_ShopCart_WPS_GB&address_ override=1 was not found on this server.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.paypal.co.uk Port 20006

[anfetienne]

hi,

I have found a sample cURL code to link it to paypal, could someone explain it to me so i can grasp it a lil to edit it?

<CODE><?
$sendTo = "http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr";
$header[] = "Content-type: text/html";
 
$dataArray[] = 'business=[e-mail]';
$dataArray[] = 'cmd=xclick';
$dataArray[] = 'amount=1.00';
 
$post = implode($dataArray, '&');
$post = urlencode($post);
 
 
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CONNECTIONTIMEOUT, 30);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FAILONERROR, false);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, 0);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post);
 
die();
?></CODE>
 

[anfetienne]

i have changed the coding and tested to suit my needs this is the code and below it is the result

<?php
$on0 = $_POST['on0'];
$firstName = $_POST['first_name'];
$lastName = $_POST['last_name'];
$address1 = $_POST['address1'];
$address2 = $_POST['address2'];
$city = $_POST['city'];
$state = $_POST['state'];
$zip = $_POST['zip'];
$os0 = $_POST['os0'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
$upload = $_POST['upload'];
$cmd = $_POST['cmd'];
$business = $_POST['business'];
$itemName1 = $_POST['item_name_1'];
$quantity1 = $_POST['quantity_1'];
$amount1 = $_POST['amount_1'];
$shipping1 = $_POST['shipping_1'];
$itemNumber1 = $_POST['item_number_1'];
$country = $_POST['country'];
$currencyCode = $_POST['currency_code'];
$noShipping = $_POST['no_shipping'];
$return = $_POST['return'];
$bn = $_POST['bn'];
$addressOverride = $_POST['address_override'];
 
$sendTo = "https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr";
$header[] = "Content-type: text/html";
 
$dataArray[] = "cmd='{$cmd}'";
$dataArray[] = "on0='{$on0}'";
$dataArray[] = "first_name='{$firstName}'";
$dataArray[] = "last_name='{$lastName}'";
$dataArray[] = "address1='{$address1}'";
$dataArray[] = "address2='{$address2}'";
$dataArray[] = "city='{$city}'";
$dataArray[] = "state='{$state}'";
$dataArray[] = "zip='{$zip}'";
$dataArray[] = "os0='{$os0}'";
$dataArray[] = "email='{$email}'";
$dataArray[] = "upload='{$upload}'";
$dataArray[] = "business='{$business}'";
$dataArray[] = "item_name_1='{$itemName1}'";
$dataArray[] = "quantity_1='{$quantity1}'";
$dataArray[] = "amount_1='{$amount1}'";
$dataArray[] = "shipping_1='{$shipping1}'";
$dataArray[] = "item_number_1='{$itemNumber1}'";
$dataArray[] = "country='{$country}'";
$dataArray[] = "currency_code='{$currencyCode}'";
$dataArray[] = "no_shipping='{$noShipping}'";
$dataArray[] = "return='{$return}'";
$dataArray[] = "bn='{$bn}'";
$dataArray[] = "address_override='{$addressOverride}'";
 
$post = implode('&', $dataArray);
$post = urlencode($post);
 
$ch = curl_init('http://www.paypal.co.uk/cgi-bin/webscr');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CONNECTIONTIMEOUT, 30);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FAILONERROR, false);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, 0);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post);
 
die();
?>
 

THE RESULTS.....

Warning: curl_setopt() [function.curl-setopt]: CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION cannot be activated when in safe_mode or an open_basedir is set in /var/www/vhosts/theauctionwinners.com/httpdocs/test1/data.php on line 70

[Markus]

@anfetienne
Okay, using that, we should be able to get it to work - not promising anything though.

<?php
 
// Url to post data to.
$sendTo = "http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr";
 
// The content-type http header.
$header[] = "Content-type: text/html";
 
// This should reflect the data you want to send.
// PSEUDOCODE:
// - $dataArray[] = 'param1=' . $_POST['param1'];
// - $dataArray[] = 'param2=' . $_POST['param2'];
$dataArray[] = 'business=[e-mail]';
$dataArray[] = 'cmd=xclick';
$dataArray[] = 'amount=1.00';
 
// Implode the array into GET formatting.
$post = implode($dataArray, '&');
// Encode it to avoid any issues.
$post = urlencode($post);
 
// Initialize the cURL, with the url to open as the parameter.
$ch = curl_init($sendTo);
// Sets the pages timeout.
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CONNECTIONTIMEOUT, 30);
// Self explanatory.
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FAILONERROR, false);
// Security
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, 0);
// Again
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);
// Follow any header redirects in the $header array.
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, true);
// Return any output from $sendTo - defaults to false
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
// Set the headers
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
// Are we going to post ?
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
// Set the post fields.
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post);
 
// Execute!
curl_exec($ch);
 
 
?>

The comments should explain it enough.

[Markus]

Remove the FOLLOWLOCATION option - you don't need it, I don't think.

[anfetienne]

ok i understand what you're getting at.....do you recommend me using the psuedocode for the data array?

[Markus]

@anfetienne
You've done it anyway. :)

Pseudo-code is just an example (kinda) and you implemented it.

Does it work?

[anfetienne]

i've implemented it this way?

$dataArray[] = "cmd='{$cmd}'";

[Markus]

@anfetienne
That's fine.


Mark.

[anfetienne]

no joy it still runs a blank page and acts as if its loading......i tried it with the 2nd method you said but that wouldn't work because the paypal url is incorrect and i dont think they allow the use of that code so it forces $_GET on their side

[jeddiki]

I needed to do a similar thing last month.

But I just used a form to post the details directly to paypal
and then we got the details back from paypal using
an ipn script.

This is the form we used:

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="rm" value="2">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick-subscriptions">
...
<input type="hidden" name="notify_url" value="http://www.oursite.com/ipn_proc.php">

Why are you trying to save the data before it goes through paypal ?
Is it because you don't trust the paypal system?

Most of the dat that comes back from the ipn is data that is stored by paypal anyway.

Hope this helps.

[anfetienne]

its helpful except this isn't for a shopping cart and unfortunately paypal aren't all too forgiving when it comes to using ipn's on a simple buy now button.....if there was a way i could use ipn script to get the data back after using buy now i would :( i've not found a way to do that that's why i need to get the data either before using php or during using javascript/ajax...only prolem is im not ajax literate and the best way using php paypal seem to not allow

[anfetienne]

markus can you tell me what you think to this?

http://developer.apple.com/internet/...mlhttpreq.html

[jeddiki]

So you are trying to collect the following data from a potential client ?

# $firstName = $_POST['first_name'];
# $lastName = $_POST['last_name'];
# $address1 = $_POST['address1'];
# $address2 = $_POST['address2'];
# $city = $_POST['city'];
# $state = $_POST['state'];
# $zip = $_POST['zip'];

Paypal holds all that data, so you don't have to ask for it.

IMHO if you try and collect it - I don't think you will get any sign ups.

[anfetienne]

it works if you have a shopping cart...im just trying to change it for a buy now button....there are no sign ups and as i said i cant use ipn with a buy now unfortunately

[jeddiki]

OK - just trying to help

That cURL stuff is what I have trouble with as well !!

I mention it a bit in my post:

"Can I convert this script to use different tool ?"

Do you have any clue on that ?

[anfetienne]

so far the best way is curl....next would be to have javascript pass variables to php somehow in the background