Re: PayPals Add To Cart Button for one off items [modified] - Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP Discussion Boards

I can create a PayPal Add to Cart Button outside of Paypal but if one has only one item to sell. It is possible for two or more people to buy the same item.

A button could be created within PayPal that has inventory control and would prevent additional sale of the one item. That requires constant logging in to Paypal.
My programming skills is limited to some basic Basic.

What I am after is a way to remove the button or deactivate it from the page after it is pressed once. IE When a person is taken to the cart view. What I am also looking at is using the unlink function to remove the page perhaps. I would manually reset the button if the sale fell through after that.

All I can do is send a potential customer to PayPals checkout I cannot control externally that someone else is also sent there before I have had time to remove the item for sale.

My ultimate purpose is to set up an online garage sale to sell my unwanted goods accumulated over the years. I am trying Ebay but sometimes an item has to be listed many times for a sale and it becomes uneconomical. I have a site and reasonably good in HTML but not a good in programming.

I am thinking that when a person returns from a transaction to a page that has an onload the sending page can be insrtucted to be deleted or the link made inactive.

I have asked PayPal and it has been accepted as a feature request but that may never eventuate.

I thank anyone in advance for some ideas on this.
Terry

Terry

I am tryingto use the unlink function but calling it to delete a test file does not work.
I used this simple example

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"><br />
<html><br />
<head><br />
	<title>Untitled</title><br />
</head><br />
<br />
<br />
<html><br />
<body><br />
<br />
<?php<br />
echo "Loaded";<br />
$myFile = "T1.txt";<br />
unlink($myFile);<br />
?><br />
<br />
</body><br />
</html>

My thinking now is after a successful transaction, where the customer is directed to. I use an onload command that deletes the page that has the add to cart button.

Before I can follow this tact I need to prove the function and so far it does not remove the file. I have tried the full URL of the file I am trying to delete as well.
I haven't done error trapping so that I guess is next. I would not like a customer to see an error message however.

Terry

<?php if(file_exists($myFile)){ ?>
Html button code here
<?php
unlink($myFile); }?>

Neonlight

First off Neonlight thanks for your response

<?php if(file_exists($myFile)){ ?>
Html button code here
<?php
unlink($myFile); }?>

The button code exists as part of a html page advertising the item. Why would the button code be placed there is it important or would the Html button code placed anywhere on the html page matter.
<?php if(file_exists($http://domain/file_to_delete.html)){ ?>
<?php
unlink($http://domain/file_to_delete.html); }?>

I may have got the bull by the horns. PHP is not my thing I will have to do a course.

I was under the impression that the unlink function actually deleted files. but you are giving me the impression that it unlinks reference to the file is that so?.

aAs I said above the button code sends a potential customer to a Paypal cart then onto a Paypal checkout. That I have no control over. However in the button code there are two url's one a success "The customer bought" The other a cancel.

Now as I intend to only offer one item and not wanting two people buying the same item I was thinking of using a onload command in the success page to delete the advertised item page so no one else can purchase it. Now if the unlink function can remove the button that would be terrific. I know I could use the Zen cart but that would be overkill for the few items I have around the house to sell.

I can create the buttons within the Palpal site and they will handle inventory but it is a hassel when to create your own code is so easy. I did not invent it Paypal has instructions.

I like a lot of people have things like old golf sets photography gear and old kids stuff and its time I downsized and it is too good to dump.

Anyway thanks again I will study the function load it up to my server and delete away

Terry

Apologies - i misunderstood and thought the file to be deleted was being used as a boolean.

Note: you cannot use URLs in the file_exists function - only directory paths(see below).

Better code would be
when they try to view the item:

//if the item exists
if(file_exists("C://path/to/your/htdocs/itemForSale.php"){
//go to that items page
header("Location: /itemForSale.php");

//otherwise go to different page
} else {
header("Location: /thatItemHasBeenSold.php"); //or whatever
}

When the "buy now" button is clicked (payment is successful) go to an intermediary page where you

unlink("C://path/to/your/htdocs/itemForSale.php");

Then when other people go to visit that items page again, it will not exist and they will be directed to "thatItemHasBeenSold.php"

Neonlight

I really appreciate your help I have just been playing with the unlink function. I have found that I need to give the function full permission. but I am not allowed to delete a web page?

I will digest what you have said.
You have used C:/ but it all must happen on the server I never realised that my root directory on my site could be refered as c://. One continues to learn

Trouble is the more one learns the more one realises how little he has.

If the page was item.php could I delete that. Off to play with all forms of the code.

Hmm! where did the site go OMG | :OMG:

Terry

Haha. Very insightful.

But the more one learns, the more one has at his disposal.

And yes you can delete any file. You may need to put an "@" symbol in front of unlink to get it to work though. i.e:

<?php
@unlink('item.php');
?>

Neonlight

Again thanks.

Now I will see what mess I can get myself in. Just so you know what I am after my intended site is http://mrtworld.com I am trying video and other means to advertise. I do sell software (Using Rapidq basic and AHK) My main site gets 500 hits a day so I can link. This is a hobby I am retired and well on my way to making my first million/10,000. Still it keeps me out of mischief.

I will post back when I have a working system. You never know you may have stuff you want to sell. I intend to make an automatic site creator. Basic is so easy to manipulate text and RQ works well in Vista. AHK (AutoHotKey) makes a great companion.

Ain't life great. Live well and long
Terry

As an after thought I would tackle the problem this way.
for each item I have for sale I will create a Item_Name.txt file basicly blank but existing.
using your suggestion
I shall create a "If not Fileexists(Item_Name.txt)
Else" condition where the Else will point to an "ItemSold Page"
Obviously on a successful sale I will unlink the Item_Name.txt file.

I now have the solution and need to design the structure o I do not have to modify many pages manually

I will put a test set of pages up and run it in PayPals sandbox.

Well I have it

<br />
<?php  $F = File_Exists("item_sold");<br />
  		If ($F == "1")header 'Location:http://www.mydomain.com/itemforsale.php' );<br />
 		Else header( 'Location: http://www.mydomain.com/sorry.html' );<br />
  ?><br />

The success page(one for each item) will have the unlink of the item_sold above

I found that the buy now button was the best option in this case.

So Marc with the insight you have given me it has awakened my knowledge of C I programmed in over 20 years ago which makes php come to life, I did not realise the syntax was so simular.

It was not long ago I could not even spell programer now I are one

Till my next major requirement Marc stay well, I may need you Wink | ;)

Terry

modified on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 6:59 PM

Member 3739910 wrote:
So Marc with the insight you have given me it has awakened my knowledge of C I programmed in over 20 years ago which makes php come to life, I did not realise the syntax was so simular.

Yeah, very similar. I learnt c++ first. Picking up php was as easy as breathing.

Neonlight

Member 3739910 wrote:
When I thought it save to go back in the water I have a problem

This code will not work I think I must have a mistake somewhere. As you can see it is basicly what you sugested. Other php works and I do have the page ext php

Also this does not work for me. I am missing something

Could it be the permission of the files?

I will keep hammering at it. My ftp program is running hot
Terry

Dunno where your post went so I copied the above in from my email.

Fixed code

<?php
//htp -> http and Two closing brackets
if(file_exists("http://mrtworld.com/item01.txt")){
//htp -> http
header("Location: http://mmrtworld.com/description/clock.php");//this page will have the code
} 
else {
//htp -> http
header("Location: http://mydomain.com/sorry.html");
}
?>

and remember i said you must use directory path not url:

<?php
echo file_exists("C://xampp/htdocs/item/item001");// no output
?>

Neonlight

Hi Actually I found that mistake I corrected the http and double bracket but I did not try the
echo file_exists("C://xampp/htdocs/item/item001);

Thanks again. I am getting there albeit slowly. You are a patient man The reason you could not find the post is I deleted it after I found the mistkes, you must already have received the email.

As you know I will get it eventually the penny has not quite dropped. I was never taught programming I have won every function I have battled with.

Terry

Terry

Make sure you replace

C://xampp/htdocs

with the location of your web document root.

if you dont know your web doc root, you can use the following piece of code:

<?= $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']; ?>

Neonlight

modified on Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:16 AM

Well Marc I have it. This what I have finished up with. I am adding this as I believe you deserve an account as to what purpose your help has been put to. I will now over the next few weeks fully populate my site at My Online Garage Sale

                            STRUCTURE       
     Root

index.html            |
catergories.html      |-------Item folder
item_descriptions.html|            item.txt
sorry.html            |            item.php----------These items are auto created
                                   itemu.php      I created a simple basic program

How it works

A person comes to the site, goes to a catergory and makes a selection where they have a chance to "Buy Now". That takes them to checkout. After they are sent to itemu.php which removes item.txt and then sends them to index.html. Selecting the item again will send them to the sorry page. Any attempt to buy the same item twice stopped. I may create a couple of links to sorry as people may think the site is selling. I'm a sneeky bugger. I have dozens of computer books so I will have heaps to sell. One thing, at going on 67 this certainly exercises the brain. I get that Eureca moment everytime a program works and I believe you probably experiance that too. That at least is one thing I have in common with Archimedes.

For interest I use the Blue Voda web site builder which makes quick pleasing sites. I use a program I created to convert the output to my requirements.

Basic I can do with ease PHP may take a little longer

I feel almost too embarrised to say but I found my problem:

I had >?php instead of Terry

modified on Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:36 PM

Congratulations. Looks like it works a charm.

Member 3739910 wrote:
I get that Eureca moment everytime a program works and I believe you probably experiance that too.

Definitely. That's why I now do it for a living.

Neonlight

The next task I am setting out on is the auto uploading and syncronising of the site
so you may hear more of my plea's here.
Now with a glass of red in hand I am now about to take pictures and fill the pages with my goodies.

I have the php creation program working. Strange I use one language to produce another. I shall eventually make the page creation semi automatic. Like most of us I seem destined to make a better mouse trap.

I have the ability of using my limited resources to create some usefull utilities. One such is A Universal Ink Monitor.
I think I said this is a hobby and I make it pay for itself.

Terry

How can i upload the images with various extension in folder using php

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=php+file+upload

Neonlight

Put all the image extensions in an array then use the in_array() function to check if the mime type of the file is in the array.

Uploading of file exposes your application to lots of security vulnerabilities, checking mime type is not a good method of filtering certain files as the mime type is determined by the browser.

You should read about the security of file uploading.

www.cy2online.net

I have a PHP program that is needed to run an external program (using proc_open() )and display its output as it's updated, as the program takes a long time to run , I have to wait for that long for PHP to display the message 100% complete,( The original program displays the output as 1% 2% 3% .... )

Can anyone please help me ?

Thank You
~Salil

write your external program so that it writes it's progress to a text file. The read that text file with PHP.

Neonlight

Hi All,

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The most compelling feature of the game is Highscore. The game has two types of highscores - Offline and Online. The user can always update his/her score by enabling online highscore in the game settings. The top online highscores can also be retrieved through the game on mobile; otherwise it can be viewed here.

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Njoy Thumbs Up | :thumbsup:

Pavan Pareta

Hi all. I'm writing a web app for personal business use. It's a big job and will handle invoicing, payments, time scheduling and so on. I expect it will take the better part of 6 months or a year to finish in my spare time.

I've made a couple of false starts but seem always to end up with spaghetti code. My major obstacle is keeping the program aware of what it's current status is.

For example, there's a page to add a new customer, or a new supplier and they work fine. sometimes while entering an invoice it happens that the supplier or the customer or work location or something that does not exist. The app. needs to divert to the "New customer" page, get the data and return to the original point. While entering the new customer it might happen that the customer uses a bank that's never been entered before and so it needs to divert to the "New Bank" page and then backtrack to where it started.

To make the problem clearer - please consider the web-interface my bank uses. I have to log in to do anything at all. If I'm half way through a transaction and the session times out, I'm taken to the log-in page again, but after entering the login details I don't go to the main menu again ... it takes me to where I left off with the transaction. Somewhere behind the scenes a clever programmer kept track of what I was doing, so the log-in page can be re-used over and over at different points in a session. That's the kind of thing I need to do.

I've been using session variables and some hidden variables in the pages to assist but as the program grows it becomes cumbersome and confusing. There's an endless list of if's or's and's - rules and exceptions to rules.

Can anybody give some good generic advice about how to integrate and track all the various sub-components of a large application like this?

Thanks in advance.
Angus

Good Question. There are many ways you can do this.

I would use an array stored in a session variable ("$tasks" - see below). I'd also have each page save data as you go along and refer to everything using a Unique ID - so that if you get halfway through and realise you need to do something else you can go off and do something else and the data will be stored.

I also suggest putting the code that stores a page's data to the database into a function so that you can reference it from any other file. This way, if your form has 5 possible exit points - you only need to write the code that stores the data once.

When you reach a point where they will be redirected to a new page add the current page to the tasks array:

$tasks = $_SESSION['tasks'];
$tasks[] = "/editInvoice.php?id=$invoiceid";
$_SESSION['tasks']= $tasks;

....
(on the next page: )

$tasks = $_SESSION['tasks'];
$tasks[] = "/editCustomer.php?id=$custid";
$_SESSION['tasks']= $tasks;

Then when a task is complete you can pop the array and redirect to the popped item:

$redirect = array_pop($tasks);
$_SESSION['tasks']= $tasks;

header("Location: $redirect");

Neonlight

Just pointing out that:

$tasks = $_SESSION['tasks'];
$tasks[] = "/editInvoice.php?id=$invoiceid";
$_SESSION['tasks']= $tasks;

Is exactly the same as:

$_SESSION['tasks'][] = "/editInvoice.php?id=$invoiceid";

Thanks Marc for the ideas. I like the idea of popping and array...I can sort of make a breadcrumb trail that way.
I've taken your advice also to see how others have done this. Finding lots of hidden fields, and useful data embedded into URL's.

I think I will keep analyzing this for a few weeks before starting in earnest. I'd rather get it right first time, not have to patch up an imperfect solution.

And AtliThor - I'm constantly amazed how people can write one line of code when I need half a dozen to do the same thing. Thanks also.

Angus