Omgosh USPS api procedures are annoying.

I have yet to figure out why I'm getting errors but I think I've found out why!  I needed to go http://www.usps.com/webtools/webtoolsapirequestform.htm to request permission to use their api components that are dealt with addresses.

 I'm sending this request


https://secure.shippingapis.com/ShippingAPITest.dll?API=DeliveryConfirmationV3&XML=<DeliveryConfirmationV3.0Request USERID="blah" ><Option>1</Option><ImageParameters /><FromName>John Smith</FromName><FromFirm /><FromAddress1 /><FromAddress2>475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW</FromAddress2><FromCity>Washington</FromCity><FromState>DC</FromState><FromZip5>20260</FromZip5><FromZip4 /><ToName>Joe Customer</ToName><ToFirm /><ToAddress1>STE 201</ToAddress1><ToAddress2>6060 PRIMACY PKWY</ToAddress2><ToCity>MEMPHIS</ToCity><ToState>TN</ToState><ToZip5 /><ToZip4 /><WeightInOunces>2</WeightInOunces><ServiceType>Priority</ServiceType><POZipCode /><ImageType>TIF</ImageType><LabelDate /></DeliveryConfirmationV3.0Request> 

to find out that I get this error

<Error>
 <Number>80040b1a</Number>
 <Description>API Authorization failure. DeliveryConfirmationV3 is not a valid API name for this protocol.</Description>
 <Source>UspsCom::DoAuth</Source>
</Error>

So I tried it with the live secure url instead just to find out I'm not allowed

https://secure.shippingapis.com/ShippingAPI.dll?API=DeliveryConfirmationV3&XML=<DeliveryConfirmationV3.0Request USERID="blah" ><Option>1</Option><ImageParameters /><FromName>John Smith</FromName><FromFirm /><FromAddress1 /><FromAddress2>475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW</FromAddress2><FromCity>Washington</FromCity><FromState>DC</FromState><FromZip5>20260</FromZip5><FromZip4 /><ToName>Joe Customer</ToName><ToFirm /><ToAddress1>STE 201</ToAddress1><ToAddress2>6060 PRIMACY PKWY</ToAddress2><ToCity>MEMPHIS</ToCity><ToState>TN</ToState><ToZip5 /><ToZip4 /><WeightInOunces>2</WeightInOunces><ServiceType>Priority</ServiceType><POZipCode /><ImageType>TIF</ImageType><LabelDate /></DeliveryConfirmationV3.0Request> 

to find out that I get this error


<Error>
 <Number>80040b1a</Number>
 <Description>API Authorization failure. User blah is not authorized to use API DeliveryConfirmationV3.</Description>
 <Source>UspsCom::DoAuth</Source>
</Error>
This was the same issue with testing out my shipping rate class just to find out that it doesn't work on the test server but works perfectly with their live server.  When I emailed and asked  ICCC about the situation all they did was swtich me over to live server and said try again. They never told me why it didn't work on the test server.
If this has been an onging issue, which seems to be from what I've read/searched online, and  a lot of people are having problems with it, then why don't they just start us off with the live server instead?
It seems like a lot of developers are running into this problem. You would think by now they would've acknowledge/act on the issue and update us with it.  Instead they just ignore it and become complacent about their ways and repeat it with the next developer that ask about this problem. 
I'll have to wait and try this again once they grant me permission to use their address api components.  Until then...

Buddha Soumpholphakdy

Man the hoops you got to through for USPS

I'm done coding my USPS api class.  But man the hoops you have to go through to ask for permission, wait, test and validate before you can go live can be quite tiresome.  I could bitch about it or you could read this dude's blog who has pointed out cons about USPS's api. http://nicholas.piasecki.name/blog/2009/07/wake-up-usps/

Buddha Soumpholphakdy

www.downstairz.net

Woot decided to do some designing for my up and coming company.  Check it out.  It's just a rough draft and I'll get it looking better later down the road.

Downstairz Site

Buddha Soumpholphakdy

USPS api components

I've decided to go ahead and add the delivery confirmation, track & confirm, and carrier pickup components to stdalfouronline.com site.

The reason being is because I wanted an all-in-one methodology instead.  The customer buys the product, the admin is informed with the purchase.  The admin logins in, follow up on the purchase, prints the label, confirmation code gets sent to the client, package up the products, let it be known when you want the usps dude to have it picked up and have it delivered.  Now doesn't that sound pretty intuitive for an admin to do?

That's just the backbone of my flow.   But you get the idea.  Maybe when I have some free time after this project is up, I'll work on a desktop application so the client can use that as well if the purchase isn't handle through the site.  But then again I've made paths for that as well within the site. :p

I'll begin on it probably this weekend when I can find some free times from my other projects :P

Buddha Soumpholphakdy

Sometimes you just have to kick back and relax

After a while I realized that skipping lunch, eating while I'm coding, or just rushing it to get back to work doesn't really help you code any faster or get more done.  In fact after a while you'll tire yourself out.  When that happens you'll loose motivation, be in a not so good mood, and/or not be in your zone to code efficiently.

So my answer to all of this madness is to enjoy your lunch away from your office and use up that hour, or whatever or so you have available for your lunch break, breathe, eat slowly, and relax a bit. But if you don't want to do that then grab your lunch, come back to the office, and play games/watch a movie.  Something that will relax your brain activity.

When you're coding, your brain activity is already set to cruise at a hyper-speed mode.  There's nothing worse than to drag your feet out of the office tired and forgetting you ate that day. LOL

So enjoy lunch and enjoy life a bit even if you're die-hardcore programer like I am.

Buddha Soumpholphakdy

Cotinuation of stdalfouronline.com

Got a lot done today. I'm done with USPS & Authorize.net api's implementations. It looks good and more importantly it's modular enough to use it for my other projects.

I still have some minor details to attend to tomorrow with my code but definitely made some great progress.  So with that being said. I'm going call it quits, eat, kick back and watch a movie.

Until the next episode.

Buddha Soumpholphakdy

Will be finishing some things up tomorrow...

I'm working on a project for a client and basically incorporating USPS's api with the shopping cart.  Just need to do more testing tomorrow, finish it up and then work with Authorize.net api afterwards. I've done it before in the past so I should be able to get it all done tomorrow. Hoping to launch www.stdalfouronline.com by this fall.

Buddha Soumpholphakdy