[ic] Paypal IPN

Paul Jordan interchange-users@icdevgroup.org
Wed Oct 9 20:22:00 2002


Hi guys

Forgive me if this has been noticed, and discussed. I could not find
anything in the archives on it. I was away for awhile, and I guess Paypal
implemented something called IPN, or Instant Payment Notifications.

There is developer code in ASP, VB, Perl, etc etc, on the site.

I hacked a Paypal function for my site about 1/2 a year ago. It basically
logs the transaction (status :HOLD) then sends them off to Paypal (all in
the same form). Then when I receive a Paypal email, I simply change it from
HOLD to pending.

There was a hack designed by Ed Lafrance I believe that would pass an
argument along with the user, then when they clicked "Go back to the
merchants website" on Paypal, they would be sent back with their session ID,
and then you could seal the deal. The problem with that was people wouldn't
always click that little link at Paypal, since it wasn't required to go back
to the merchants store.

Next month I will look into this for our store, and see if I cannot come up
with a more automated Paypal function. However I was wondering if Paypal's
new IPN was discussed? It seems pretty promising. The user still gets sent
off your site, but at least PP is starting to show more code. I will post
any advances in my hack.

We sell softgoods. With this new IPN, it may be possible for people with
stores like mine to accept Paypal for softgoods, and not just hard goods.

Paul