The return doesn't do what you think it does. To make the actions happen, you have to set up your ipn url at paypal, as per the instructions in the subscriptions system.

"notify_url" is for the paypal verification script to send a notice to vbulletin and say if the payment is done or refused...

"return" is the one to send you back to page X... if you want to modify that url so users are taken back to a thanks page of some sort, you can do that with THAT input.

IPN setup isn't available for all types of PayPal accounts.
Specifying notify_url at the form submission time is a more compatible way for notifications to work, and in fact vB itself does submit it, so I see no valid reasons of the field removal in this hack.

A question regarding trial periods: It appears that this hack uses straight forward PayPal code (the same that would be provided by PayPal if one were to enter the prices and product info through their code generator).

Is there any reason why you can't simply generate the code from PayPal, including trial periods, and paste it in the appropriate places in this hack?

Seems to me this hack would easily allow for trial periods (e.g. 1 week for $5, then $10/mo there after).

Have you tried using the subscription service without this hack and without ipn? I don't believe it works for you because the subscription code is looking for specific variables passed back by the IPN.

Yes, subscriptions worked nicely before this hack installation.

This is taken from one of the numerous manuals on PayPal integration:
This is from Business::PayPal::IPN perl package man page:

To replace the notify url line, simply go to includes/functions_subscriptions.php and find (2 time)
Add After:
BUT. I'm NOT going to guarantee that when subscriptions are renewed that they will be processed correctly if you use the notify url in there rather than the IPN. Unless you are not using IPN, I would leave the hack installed as before, which we knew worked.

It may work fine with the notify url, but if it ain't broke for you, I don't suggest that you "fix" it by adding in the notify url.

Amy

Hi Amy,

Same thing happened for us. Successfully using the subscription service for about a year. Did your mod last week - the subscription works up to a point - it connects with PayPal, sends us an email and the customer an email - but now it does not update the account on our forum.

I've tried out the code above - doesn't make a difference. We are running the 3.0.3 (patched for the security bugs.)

This is the first time I've had a problem with a mod. :ermm:

As I said, I can't guarantee that it will. The reoccurring subscriptions are sending back specific ipn variables that I just don't believe would be sent the other way. I haven't had a chance to look at vbulletin 3.5 yet to see what it offers in subscriptions. It may be a moot point if it handles recurring subscriptions out of the box.

Amy

We've had some time to test all of our subscriptions.

Here's an update from my earlier message today.

1. All of our regular non-recurring subscriptions work fine - everyone gets their account updated a.o.k.

2. None of the recurring subscriptions get their accounts updated.

It sure looks like this is an issue with the mod since standard subs work like a charm.

Comments anyone?