Error when using Coupons

Using latest version of software 1.4.0 I am finding the Coupon application is not working - it did work on 1.3.6 before the update. Now when entering anything at all in the Coupon form field (correct code or anything else) the page refreshes to an internal server error message 500:

the page address being called is: option=com_hikashop&ctrl=checkout&task=step&Itemid=110 (last numbers depend on the product category of the item at the top of the cart list).

Thereafter the only way to get the Checkout page to display again is to use the back button a couple of times to return to the stage before going to the checkout page - empty the Cart completely and start again - without doing this any attempt to reach the checkout page (normally at "option=com_hikashop&ctrl=checkout") defaults to the same address that created the first error i.e. "option=com_hikashop&ctrl=checkout&task=step&Itemid=110".

If Coupons are left unused the checkout performs exactly as it should.

Hope you will be able to tell what the problem may be.

Thanks
Chris

PS I think you have a great product here!

Hi Chris,

I actually just tested to enter a coupon on our demo website as well as on one of our test websites and couldn't reproduce the problem. So, it seems to be a problem which might only happen in some cases. Could you provide the URL of your website so that we can have a look at the problem ? We might be able to find a clue.

I went on you website to test the problem. I can't even access the checkout. There seems to be a fatal error occuring for some reason.

Could you check your php error logs ? If you don't know how to access them, you could ask your hosting company.
That will tell more information about that error, because with just a 500 error, trying to fix it is like shooting in the dark.

Hi Nicolas,

I logged in and find the problem with access to the cart is that I left one item in my shopping cart after the error occurred last - as I mentioned, unless one goes in and completely empties the cart the access error will continue. I have emptied the cart now - perhaps you could try again - place something in your cart and then click the link to go to checkout - all that should work until you try to add a coupon - 'loyalfish06' is set up currently as the coupon name.

I looked at the server error logs and the only relevant entry I could see was:
[Fri Dec 10 05:29:51 2010] [error] [client 81.155.221.240] File does not exist: /home/flyfuk/public_html/500.shtml, referer: www.theflyfactory.co.uk/web/index.php?op...&category_pathway=60

Regards

Chris

Full error path was: /home/flyfuk/public_html/500.shtml, referer: www.theflyfactory.co.uk/web/index.php?op...&category_pathway=60

Also I think the access error occurs if you are not logged in when trying to access the Checkout.

Hi Chris,

Unfortunately, that doesn't help much as these are the apache logs, not the PHP logs. Could you try to ask your hosting company for more logs ?

Otherwise, the only solution I see is that you give us an FTP access to you website so that we can trace down the problem in the code.

I have asked for the php logs - but have not yet had a response from hostgator on this.

Will provide you with ftp access and will email the details.

Cheers

Chris

Hi,

I got your email with the logs. Unfortunately that don't help us.

I also got your email with the FTP access. I will look at the problem tomorrow (saturday).

Hi,

The problem seems to be fixed.
Apparently, when you created your zones, you made a loop in the zones parent/child relations. And in one of the latest releases we changed the way we were loading the zones while refactoring a bit the shipping and payment plugins on the zone limitation.
That created a loop in the new code resulting in that error.

We changed the zone loading to avoid that loop and it seems to be back to normal.

Nicolas,

You guys really are stars - it is such a pleasure to work with you - The shop is fantastic and you really deserve to have a huge success with this - your service and response to issues is second to none!

Regards
Chris