[request] Pay before download

kemie · 2009-03-30 08:44:00

I use (and am very happy with) e-junkie there’s tons of features, and I’m planning to integrate it with txp for my next incarnation of pixilate.com. There’s a free version, if i remember correctly, but the paid one is worth it, for me at least

kostas45 · 2009-04-16 17:06:23

This is a request for thoughts on a digital goods yab_shop implementation.
Here is how it is organized in my mind so far:

All shop products are digital downloads, say photos of two sizes each.
Each photo is represented by a TXP article.
Each article is associated with two files (the two photo sizes) using upm_file.
Download files are uploaded via ftp in a secret directory and not in /files.
smd_remote_file is used to manage these files through the Files tab.
I need to associate article files with yab_shop’s product properties, smd_each may help here?
yab_download is used to produce a zip file of all download files (photos).
Linklok URL (thanks FireFusion) is planned to allow me to produce a secure url to the download zip, which will be sent to customer.

After customer’s successful payment (via Paypal or Google Checkout), I need access to order product data so I can know what files to zip. So maybe the checkout_thanks_site parameter of the yab_shop_config would be used to return this data?

Linklok URL is the only external script, maybe a future TXP plugin ;-)

Is there a flaw anywhere?
Please respond with ideas, any feedback is welcome.

Thanks,
Kostas

Last edited by kostas45 (2009-04-16 17:08:12)

Bloke · 2009-04-16 17:39:38

kostas45 wrote:

Download files are uploaded via ftp in a secret directory and not in /files. smd_remote_file is used to manage these files through the Files tab.

Though I haven’t tetsed it, I don’t think this will work yet. I’ve not tried smd_remote_file in anything higher than TXP 4.0.6 for starters!

I have plans for smd_remote_file to be able to handle this exact functionality — though without you having to manually upload the files — but right now I think the files must be ‘available’ because smd_remote_file is built around http:// access. If it works otherwise I’d love to know of your success with this technique.

associate article files with yab_shop’s product properties, smd_each may help here?

smd_each can certainly iterate over the yab_shop property fields, if you can find something useful to do with each one once smd_each has grabbed it!

Linklok is planned to allow me to produce a secure url to the download zip, which will be sent to customer.

Good solution for now. In time smd_remote_file (or a spin-off smd_secure_file) will be able to produce this for you and either serve a direct digital download or send an unlock URL to a customer’s e-mail address. Once they click the link the file is sent to them. Bogus/hacked links will of course fail. Time-limited and/or counter-limited downloads will be available as standard.

Last edited by Bloke (2009-04-16 17:40:48)

duchamp · 2009-04-16 17:42:47

I’m very anxious to have this kind of plugin inside Txp! :)

Bloke · 2009-04-16 18:08:01

duchamp wrote:

I’m very anxious to have this kind of plugin inside Txp! :)

I’ll do my best when I get a spare day or three to work on it.

duchamp · 2009-04-16 18:12:07

Bloke wrote:

I’ll do my best when I get a spare day or three to work on it.

Don’t worries! I know how this things work! It’s a lot of work and effort to help a community, I really appreciate that and obviously I can wait (but with anxiety! LOL)

Cheers!

kostas45 · 2009-04-16 19:19:15

Bloke wrote:

I’ve not tried smd_remote_file in anything higher than TXP 4.0.6 for starters!

I use smd_remote_file successfully with TXP 4.0.8 :-)

I have plans for smd_remote_file to be able to handle this exact functionality — though without you having to manually upload the files — but right now I think the files must be ‘available’ because smd_remote_file is built around http:// access. If it works otherwise I’d love to know of your success with this technique.

Well, my idea was to upload the files in a new directory (say /photos) in my site, not remotely, and then set smd_remote_file to use: http://mysite/photos/photo1.jpg
I have just tested it, everything seems fine :-)

I have also found that I cannot access (gives 404 error, tried suggestions here) this:
http://mysite/file_download/5/photo1.jpg.link
but this is for the better, isn’t it? :-)

-Kostas

Bloke · 2009-04-16 22:19:54

kostas45 wrote:

I use smd_remote_file successfully with TXP 4.0.8 :-)

Good to know, thanks for the report.

upload the files in a new directory (say /photos) in my site, not remotely, and then set smd_remote_file to use: http://mysite/photos/photo1.jpg
I have just tested it, everything seems fine :-)

Excellent. But I still think you’ll find it’s accessible directly from the URL if you type in http://mysite/photos/photo1.jpg. So it’s no good for ‘secure’ (aka ‘hidden’ in this case) downloads, unless you inhibit directory listings and either:

obfuscate the filename so it becomes something random like http://mysite/photos/a574f9e9239cb9a120dc.jpg, or
generate the file on the fly and delete it after it’s been downloaded (which assumed the download doesn’t fail partway through)

The system I have planned allows files to be stored in either:

a remote location
the ‘files’ dir
a subdir of ‘files’
any other dir under your site root
any dir outside docroot for true ‘secure’ downloads which are in no way accessible via the browser address bar

and still all be managed via TXP’s Files tab. At least in theory; not written enough of the code to test it yet :-) The latter group of files require special intervention; the plugin manages the handshaking and security aspects of an exchange so it is not possible for someone to obtain the file without the authorisation code. The only missing thing is the PayPal trigger that I’m hoping IPN can deliver, possibly via yab_shop’s checkout_thanks_site (if the plugin can be made to work that way; I don’t know if it does yet).

I have also found that I cannot access… http://mysite/file_download/5/photo1.jpg.link

So how do you intend to send the file to the user if they can’t get at it? Or how will you communicate the direct URL they need to download the file? (e.g. http://mysite/photos/photo1.jpg)? As far as I remember — it’s been a long time — the .link file is supposed to “resolve” to the ‘remote’ file you have assigned. Whether the remote file is truly remote (fileden, etc) or ‘remote’ in relation to the files dir is immaterial; if you give a .link file in the file_download URL it should resolve as long as the file is accessible via http://. If it doesn’t, it’s a bug in the (current) plugin and I’ll need to fix it!

kostas45 · 2009-04-17 10:28:25

Bloke wrote:

But I still think you’ll find it’s accessible directly from the URL if you type in http://mysite/photos/photo1.jpg. So it’s no good for ‘secure’ (aka ‘hidden’ in this case) downloads, unless you inhibit directory listings and either:

obfuscate the filename so it becomes something random like http://mysite/photos/a574f9e9239cb9a120dc.jpg, or

According to Linklok URL’s manual (which btw can be downloaded by anyone), this is exactly what Linklok URL is doing by producing links which are authenticated using MD5.
And also recommends to create an obscure dir name (instead of /photos above) for the download files, if in webroot.

The system I have planned allows files to be stored in either:

a remote location

the ‘files’ dir

a subdir of ‘files’

any other dir under your site root

any dir outside docroot for true ‘secure’ downloads which are in no way accessible via the browser address bar
and still all be managed via TXP’s Files tab. At least in theory; not written enough of the code to test it yet :-)

Wow! This covers everything I dreamed of :-)

The latter group of files require special intervention; the plugin manages the handshaking and security aspects of an exchange so it is not possible for someone to obtain the file without the authorisation code. The only missing thing is the PayPal trigger that I’m hoping IPN can deliver, possibly via yab_shop’s checkout_thanks_site (if the plugin can be made to work that way; I don’t know if it does yet).

Haven’t used yab_shop before, maybe trenc could shed light on here.

So how do you intend to send the file to the user if they can’t get at it? Or how will you communicate the direct URL they need to download the file? (e.g. http://mysite/photos/photo1.jpg)?

Again, this is Linklok URL’s job, as described above.
Basically, what smd_remote_file does, is providing hooks with the TXP system, so that yab_shop’s product properties and article (download) files can be associated, if a way is found that is :-)

As far as I remember — it’s been a long time — the .link file is supposed to “resolve” to the ‘remote’ file you have assigned. Whether the remote file is truly remote (fileden, etc) or ‘remote’ in relation to the files dir is immaterial; if you give a .link file in the file_download URL it should resolve as long as the file is accessible via http://. If it doesn’t, it’s a bug in the (current) plugin and I’ll need to fix it!

That’s how I thought it would work as well, it looks like a plugin bug, yes.

-Kostas

duchamp · 2011-04-06 00:49:44

Too much time without entering the TXP Forums and tonight I’m here looking for the same thing:
any solution to use Textpattern to sell digital goodies?
Paypal implemented their new Digital Goods what is a great notice, so … anything new about this subject inside Textpattern?

Thx in advance!

Textpattern CMS

Textpattern CMS support forum

#13 2009-03-30 08:44:00

Re: [request] Pay before download

#14 2009-04-16 17:06:23

Re: [request] Pay before download

#15 2009-04-16 17:39:38

Re: [request] Pay before download

#16 2009-04-16 17:42:47

Re: [request] Pay before download

#17 2009-04-16 18:08:01

Re: [request] Pay before download

#18 2009-04-16 18:12:07

Re: [request] Pay before download

#19 2009-04-16 19:19:15

Re: [request] Pay before download

#20 2009-04-16 22:19:54

Re: [request] Pay before download

#21 2009-04-17 10:28:25

Re: [request] Pay before download

#22 2011-04-06 00:49:44

Re: [request] Pay before download

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