PHP Array into Database (PayPal IPN)

[George Botley]

Hello,

 

 

I am developing a PayPal IPN interface which works fine, all is passed for verification and comes back 'VALID'.

 

 

After validation with PayPal I update a users subscription and do the rest I want to do, but there is one thing really really irritating me.

 

 

It seems to be that this one particular table in the database does not want to accept anything I throw at it through PHP.

 

 

Here's the code:

 

 

$query = "INSERT INTO `ipn_txn_logs` (
   `date` ,
   `payment_reason` ,
   `pp_txn_id` ,
   `pp_amount` ,
   `pp_txn_charge` ,
   `pp_txn_net_amount` ,
   `ltj_txn_id` ,
   `description` ,
   `failsafe` ,
   `member`
   )
   
   VALUES (
   '$date',
   'subscribe',
   '$txn[txn_id]',
   '$txn[payment_amount]',
   '$txn[payment_charges]',
   '$txn[net_payment]',
   '$txn[custom]',
   '$desc',
   'yes',
   '$fname $lname')";


   $query = mysql_query($query);

 

 

The array is set on the IPN return using all values from PayPal. The database will insert when all variable and arrays are left out of the INSERT and replaced with just the number 1..

 

 

I am unable to see a PHP error as it's done in the background after a PayPal response... is there anyway to collect this error?

 

 

Also, any suggestions on this fault?

 

 

George.[/code]

[silkfire]

Echo mysql_error you can try to save it to a text file. Try, mate.

[freelance84]

You can send all the errors to an email in box... i made an IPN half a year ago and sent any errors to an inbox i set up specifically... ipndebug@mysite.com. just use php's mail() function

[xyph]

Try this

 

$query = "INSERT INTO `ipn_txn_logs` (
   `date` ,
   `payment_reason` ,
   `pp_txn_id` ,
   `pp_amount` ,
   `pp_txn_charge` ,
   `pp_txn_net_amount` ,
   `ltj_txn_id` ,
   `description` ,
   `failsafe` ,
   `member`
   )
   
   VALUES (
   '$date',
   'subscribe',
   '{$txn['txn_id']}',
   '{$txn['payment_amount']}',
   '{$txn['payment_charges']}',
   '{$txn['net_payment']}',
   '{$txn['custom']}',
   '$desc',
   'yes',
   '$fname $lname')";

[George Botley]

@freelance84 - Thanks for the tips on mail(). This has helped me now understand what the issues were. I never knew mail() could be used with an or command. Such a simple command to use as well.

 

 

@xyph - Thanks, I will try this method.. Could you advise what the { } brackets actually do in this scenario?

 

 

George.

[silkfire]

The brackets are actually not needed but they allow you to insert an array element within a string. You can also write $txn[payment_amount] (without inner quotes).

[George Botley]

Hello,

 

 

Thank you for the explanation.

 

 

I removed the curly brackets as I don't use them normally and so don't see why I should now change.

 

 

That aside, with the mail() function, it was discovered the issue was relating to the $desc variables contents including an apostrophe.

 

 

Thanks Guys.

[xyph]

Not using the curly braces SHOULD be wrong. In any language with a strict syntax it would be wrong.

 

Don't use PHP's 'looseness' as an excuse to continue bad programming practices.

 

From what I understand, that syntax will throw an E_NOTICE, as it will look for a constant with the name name first, not find it, and revert to the array key. This means if you define a constant with the same name as that key, things may start to explode.

 

It's right in the manual - http://php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php#language.types.array.foo-bar

 

silkfire - avoid giving advice you aren't sure on.

[PFMaBiSmAd]

From what I understand, that syntax will throw an E_NOTICE

 

^^^ Not inside a string. Inside a string, $txn[txn_id] is parsed as though it was written as $txn['txn_id'] (I'm guessing if you were to look at the C code responsible for doing that, it probably looks like it was written by the clown act in a circus.) Outside of a string, php first evaluates the txn_id in $txn[txn_id] as a constant (which it should only do, then stop), then when it does not find a defined constant by that name and finishes with the error response code it assumes the programmer meant to enclose the index name in quotes and evaluates it as $txn['txn_id'] (more fun C code.)

 

[xyph]

Thanks for correcting me. I'm sure if you looked at anything involving double quotes and parsed string it would be pretty ugly.

I avoid using them at all costs due to unnecessary overhead.