PayPal Easy Donate

Hack Description

This hack is the easiest way to add the ability to accept PayPal donations for your site.
You simply upload 2 php files, and a couple of images and then import the product XML and thats it!
No messing round with template edits or anything like that, its all done for you!

:banana: Also includes a vB CMPS Module so you can use this hack on your vB CMPS pages. :banana:
The vB CMPS is basicly just a straight port of DementedMindz excellent Paypal Module (dropdown) On vBa CMPS modified so that it can be setup from the AdminCP.
Many thanks to DementedMindz for allowing me to mod his module.

Some features of this hack are:

• No need to modify or edit the standard vB files!
• Automaticly adds 'Donate' link on Navbar next to the FAQ link if desired.
• Simple once off setup in the Admin Control Panel.
• You can change all text and headings from the Admin CP.
• All PayPal settings such as preferred currency are set in the Admin CP.
• The Donors forum username is on the emailed receipt from PayPal.
• People do not have to be registered on your site to donate.
• You and toggle the PayPal Verified seal on or off.
• Its a product so no need to redo hacks when you upgrade vB next time.
• Works with default IE settings!
• vB CMPS Modue Available
• Configurable Thank you page for donors
• Default / suggested donation amount if desired
• Works on vB 3.6 without any modifications
  

Well thats about it for the moment. I may add more features later, if there is a demand for them.

Please note that you have to have either a Business or Premiere PayPal account, else you will need to upgrade to one of these before you can accept donations. Its easy to do, just follow the guide on the PayPal site.

Also note that this is a product, not a plug-in. You must import it using the import product feature in the Admin CP.

I will try and offer support, but work and family commitments mean I dont have much free time.

This is a work in progress and currently a beta version.
This script has been confirmed as working on

• vB 3.5.3
• vB 3.5.4
• vB 3.6.0 Beta 1
• vB 3.6.0 Beta 2
• vB 3.6.0 RC1
• vB 3.6.0

It should work on earlier versions of vB 3.5 as well, but I have no verification of that.

Known Bugs
None on a standard vB 3.5.X install. However, if you use custom templates the automatic donate link insertion may not work. If thats the case, you will need to edit the navbar template manually as listed in the 2nd post.

This has been tested in a totally clean install of vB 3.5.4 and in my live and hacked site as well.

Changelog

Version 1.31 (5th August 2006)

• Added - Ability to choose default donations amount if desired.
• Added - Thankyou page for donors.
• Added - Ability to choose if donations open in same or new page.
• Fixed - XML compliance.
• Fixed/Added - A couple of things that slip my mind at the moment.

Version 1.30 (9th May 2006)

• Added - Ability to choose different PayPal submit donate buttons
• Added - Ability to choose to display payment type accepted icons on donate page
• Added - One setting now controls Currency, Currency Symbol and Country
• Added - All images are now local, not called from PayPal
• Fixed - Breadcrumbs not showing correctly
• Fixed - Various minor template bugs
• Fixed - Typo in Where On Line plugin
• Fixed - Template Caching

Credits: I've had a lot of help and advice from Boofo on this version.

Version 1.21 (28th April 2006)

• Fixed - PayPal verified link was not working

Version 1.2 (16th April 2006)

• Added - Admin CP selector for Navlink, Button, or nothing
• Added - Donate button in header on right (selectable on/off)
• Added - Couple of tweaks for vB CMPS module addon
• Added - Grouped templates in style manager
• Fixed - Couple of minor changes to make it 100% HTML compliant

Version 1.1 (16th April 2006)

• Added - Ability to enter default currency symbol in Admin CP
• Added - Display default currency code on donations page
• Added - Display default currency symbol on donations page
• Fixed - Firefox centering issue
• Fixed - Typo on donation page

Version 1.0 (16th April 2006)

• Initial Release

Upgrade Instructions
To upgrade from 1.2x to 1.3 just download the zip, it contains the latest files.
Then upload the billsdonate.php and image files then import the XML file again.
Make sure you select overwrite when you import.

Credits
Huge thanks to DementedMindz who made my V1.31 code XML compliant

I have been inspired by Cloudrunners PayPal Donations and Cybernetec's Cyb Paypal. Both have their good points, but neither were quite what I wanted, which is what inspired me to write this.

Thanks also to Paul M and hambil in helping me work out how to insert the donate link without any manual edits.
Also, espically to DementedMindz for his assistance, advice, and use of his vB CMPS module.
Much appreciested guys

And finally, a huge thanks to Boofo who was a great help in making the 1.30 release and supplied the new template, and much help.


Click on Install
If you have this script installed then please click on the install link because;

• You will get notified if any security issues are reported.
• You will get notified when there are any upgrades to this script
• It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling and motivates me to develop more

Donations
First of all, to be clear. This script is 100% free.

However if you feel an urge to donate I'm not going to say no.
Donations can be made at http://www.billspaintball.com/vb3/billspaypal.php

[Billspaintball]

Originally Posted by XtAzY

Awesome hack.... i decided to leve cloud's hack and switch to this.

Thanks!
Please click instal

But i was wondering if u can add the Goals per month, Total Donated this month, Donation Needed, or something like that. Thanks!

That really raises the complexity of the hack a lot.
But thats not to say it wont be added at some stage. Currently I'm researching the PayPal callback functions (I need this if I want to automaticly confirm if a payment was made and for how much).

If we want to then start adding goals, showing donors as donors, displaying donated amounts etc I will have to learn how to get products to create tables.
It would probably be a lot easier to modify parts of cloudrunners code than start from scratch, if I could get permission that is.

[trancetopia]

Originally Posted by Billspaintball

Thanks !
Ive been chatting to DementedMindz about convering his vBA CMPS donate block into a product, so you will be able to set the options up in the AdminCP. Im not sure how sucessfull this will be due to the way vBA handles blocks, but all I can do is try and see.
Wont be for a little while though.

As for adding users to other usergroups, Im currently researching PayPal callbacks. If I can get my head around that then its quite possible.

This is very good news. Really looking forward to this hack now when you work out the callbacks, they are quite easy to do.

Thanks Bill.

[DementedMindz]

Originally Posted by trancetopia

Really looking forward to this hack now when you work out the callbacks, they are quite easy to do.

maybe you should help out then... if they are so easy....

[xss illz]

whats the temp script for making a nav bar button??

can anyone help

[Billspaintball]

Originally Posted by xss illz

whats the temp script for making a nav bar button??

can anyone help

Can you be a little more detailed in what you want?

[Billspaintball]

Updated to 1.2
Version 1.2 has been released.

Changelog

Version 1.2 (16th April 2006)

• Added - Admin CP selector for Navlink, Button, or nothing
• Added - Donate button in header on right (selectable on/off)
• Added - Couple of tweaks for vB CMPS module addon
• Added - Grouped templates in style manager
• Fixed - Couple of minor changes to make it 100% HTML compliant

[Billspaintball]

vB CMPS Module available
A vB CMPS module for this is now available.

Download this module from the opening post.

[Kihon Kata]

Originally Posted by Billspaintball

vB CMPS Module available
A vB CMPS module for this is now available.

Download this module from the opening post.

Hey Bill, I modified the text that shows on the donate page. I cannot remember if it was a phrase or just plain HTML. If I modified that, will upgrading to 1.2 kill my modification?

Also, one reccomendation for future upgrades: It would be nice to be able to pass the USERNAME to PayPal so that we can see who is donating. That is if it's not a guest donating.

[Billspaintball]

Originally Posted by Kihon Kata

Hey Bill, I modified the text that shows on the donate page. I cannot remember if it was a phrase or just plain HTML. If I modified that, will upgrading to 1.2 kill my modification?

It depends what you actually modified.
If you modified billspaypal.php then it will be right as long as you dont reupload that file (there is no need to, its unchanged).
If you actually modified a template, your changes will probably get overwriten.

Also, one reccomendation for future upgrades: It would be nice to be able to pass the USERNAME to PayPal so that we can see who is donating. That is if it's not a guest donating.

Look at 'Item/Product Name:" on your emailed paypal notification.
It already contains the doners forum Username

Thats only a stop gap solution until I get my head around the PayPal call backs, but it works.

[Kihon Kata]

Originally Posted by Billspaintball

It depends what you actually modified.
If you modified billspaypal.php then it will be right as long as you dont reupload that file (there is no need to, its unchanged).
If you actually modified a template, your changes will probably get overwriten.

Thanks for the quick reply Bill! Oh yeah, I'm sure it was prolly a template mod, I just couldn't remember if it was phrased or not(too lazy to go look lol). I can copy my template changes before upgrading.

Look at 'Item/Product Name:" on your emailed paypal notification.
It already contains the doners Username
Thats only a stop gap solution until I get my head around the PayPal call backs, but it works.

Oh ya, I saw this. Sorry :-) Nice hack, btw