Multiple Vendors in Virtuemart | Programming

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Multiple Vendors in Virtuemart

Well, since finishing Petspreferus.com we got a great order! $138.00 or something close to that. The problem is, I only had a shipping handler for the dog collars.. The big problem there,, well the products was 20lbs, which is like $29 buckeroos to ship. So, today I'm devoting my time to fixing this issue.. Ultimately, I need to be able to assign a shipping method to each product OR each Vendor.. Vendor support is still in ALPHA, but I see nothing along these lines.. So, here goes.

Well, after a few hours of scowering the core PHP files, I have nothing. I like any broken man, I've reverted to the VirtueMart Developer Documentation.
in the hope of finding my way.

Some Notes:

So, the reason I couldn't find my way: The damn functions are in the mySQL database! It's a great idea. I've just never run into that before.

Array $cart The current cart contents. The array has the following structure:
[cart] # Array (
            [idx] # 1
            [0] # Array (
                     [quantity] # 1
                     [product_id] # 10
                     [description] # Size:big; Power:100W
                   )
           )

It turns out that a lot of the vars are kept in global $_SESSION array: $_SESSION['cart'] for example. Makes sense. I'll have to dig up an old helper class that I programmed many moons ago to debug global vars. I think I called it "myEnv".

Okay,, I found this in the documentation:

4.2.2. The Shipping API specification
The following is a list of all methods that must be implemented by a shipping module's class file.
    string list_rates( Array $d )
    Lists all available shipping rates.
Tip:
    The array $d contains the values for
    the cart total weight ($d['weight']) and
    the ID for the shipping address the user
    has selected ($d['ship_to_info_id']). The
    ship_to_info_id refers to the field user_info_id in the
    tables mos_users OR mos_vm_user_info. Check both
    for a matching entry!

So, If I can find a way to modify the string list_rates, I might be able associate a particular rate with each vendor. Yeah, it's a bit of a hack,, but what do you expect? An entire rewrite. HA!

Here is a $_SESSION var dump using my debug helper class.

myEnv has been initiated below is the results:
::$_SESSION dump::

cart=>Array (2)
1. idx=>1
2. 0=>Array (3)
  1. quantity=>1
  2. product_id=>22
  3. description=>Size:20LB
ps_vendor_id=>1
minimum_pov=>0.00
vendor_currency=>USD
auth=>Array (13)
1. show_prices=>1
2. user_id=>62
3. username=>admin
4. perms=>admin
5. first_name=>Sean
6. last_name=>Novak
7. country=>USA
8. zip=>33325
9. shopper_group_id=>5
10. shopper_group_discount=>0.00
11. show_price_including_tax=>1
12. default_shopper_group=>1
13. is_registered_customer=>1
session_userstate=>Array (6)
1. product_id=>0
2. category_id=>0
3. keyword=>
4. viewlistlimit=>30
5. view8limitstart=>0
6. view0limitstart=>0
last_page=>checkout.index
product_sess=>Array (19)
1. 22=>Array (4)
  1. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202651914
  2. vendor_id=>2
  3. tax_rate=>0
  4. flypage=>shop.flypage
2. 23=>Array (3)
  1. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650603
  2. vendor_id=>2
  3. tax_rate=>0
3. 25=>Array (3)
  1. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650603
  2. vendor_id=>2
  3. tax_rate=>0
4. 28=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650685
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
5. 34=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650685
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
6. 31=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650685
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
7. 52=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650685
  3. vendor_id=>3
  4. tax_rate=>0
8. 32=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650685
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
9. 47=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650693
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
10. 40=>Array (3)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650693
  3. vendor_id=>2
11. 36=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650693
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
12. 29=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650693
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
13. 41=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650764
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
14. 54=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650764
  3. vendor_id=>3
  4. tax_rate=>0
15. 27=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650764
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
16. 37=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650764
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
17. 38=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650774
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
18. 35=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650774
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
19. 42=>Array (4)
  1. flypage=>shop.flypage
  2. discount_info=>Array (3)
    1. amount=>0
    2. is_percent=>0
    3. create_time=>1202650774
  3. vendor_id=>2
  4. tax_rate=>0
flex%7CSTD%7CStandard+Shipping+over+25.00%7C12.206=>1
standard_shipping%7CUSPS%7CMendota+Flat+Rate%7C5.00%7C23=>1

So, it looks like these last couple $_SESSION vars 9 and 10 are my shipping options, which look like booleans. Hmm..
I'm going to have to either associate each vendor_id with a shipping method. Or, each product with a shipping method. Each option has it's up and down side associated. If I choose the product route, the system might be more flexible. If I go the vendor_id route, it might be easier for the admin as any product under a vendor_id is associated with a shipping method.

Another big issue, The user really won't be able to choose a perferred shipping method. So, it might be wise to eliminate the option for the customer to elect a shipping method altogether. Which probably means modifying the functionality of the Virtuemart Core system. Great. It's probably best I look for a hack method first.. Trying to save time here. I still have my Master's degree work to worry about here.

Okay,, idea. If I write my own Shipping Module to make the association.. I don't have to hack the core nor mess with anyone else's Shipping Module. Seems like the best solution.. Now.. how the hell do I do that

I'm goin in.

This project is now on hold!

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