I've been testing out the sponsorship tools with WSNCL and to me they seem completely out of order in terms of steps a person must take to register.
Right now (as per your recent changes to turn off direct registration) this is what I must do as a user which is completely backwards from a user point of view.
1) a user registers for usergroup 2 which is 99$/365 days 2) the admin must validate membership before user can pay (see the sponsor page) if admin doesn't...... 3) user can't login to pay until membership is validated by admin Or 3.5) if admin DOES validate user the.... 4) user HAS the ability to skip sponsorship page and NOT pay and have access to all abilities of usergroup 2.
Using a real world analogy, this the same thing as someone standing in line at a cash register trying to buy a map, only they're looking at the map while they're waiting. Once they reach the cashier, they put the map down and walk away because they have the info they need and the cashier no longer needs to accept money from them.
It would seem more logical to me to follow this protocol:
1) user registers for usergroup 2 but is not validated in terms of full access given to usergroup 2. 2) user is sent to sponsorship page to make payment 3) the payment validates membership (as well as the admin verifying payment) which officially turns on the membership to allow full group access allowed to usergroup 2
Using the same real world analogy, it's the same guy in line to pay for a map that's wrapped up in plastic to avoid tampering. Once he pays for the map, he owns the map and has access to the data on the map.
I know I'm not using the right terminology to communicate with you but this is all I have. I'm a designer not a programmer. I find the sponsorship section the weakest link to wsn and I only want to help make it clearer and more user-friendly for the people who use the software and the surfers who visit it in action.
Right now it's a completely user unfriendly and I'm so close to dumping this all together. Yeah, I'm that frustrated and I'm sorry.
I must be a complete idiot not to understand this. If anyone is successfully using the sponsorship section, please contact me, I'd like to talk user to user as well.
------------------------- On a blame me note: Because I have 3 types of member usergroups, I have three custom registration forms.
Each custom registration form has a hidden variable setting the usergroup number. If this hidden variable is there, it's forcing the users into the proper usergroup and possibly screwing up my sponsorship flow because it's making them the usergroup 2 for instance giving them data access without paying first.
Perhaps my registration flow should NOT set the usergroup, or perhaps a sub station usergroup like guest but without data access, and the admin will set the usergroup once the payment is made?
That's probably the issue and it's been my crappy logic in designing the registration forms that's causing this mess.
--------------------------------
Maybe if guests chose which usergroup they wanted, were sent to a form that sent them on to paypal (or other payment system) first, then auto generated account information (for usergroup X) would be sent to them. I don't know I'm just throwing out ideas for possible custom work...
---------------------------------
Or, in order to prevent surfing if unpaid, an if statement where if funds are less than 1, they are forwarded to the sponsorship page until they pay....wouldn't that solve my problem. Of course admins would have to remain exempt from that. That would mean direct registration would be perfect and need to be enabled again.
2) the admin must validate membership before user can pay (see the sponsor page)
No, the admin is not supposed to validate. The user is directed to a payment page after they register, and they once they pay on that page they're autovalidated.
In one attempt to register as a user I was directed to the first page I landed on once....there was some weird redirection going on.
Also, on another attempt I was not given the payment page it said I was not validated and had to wait for admin (message on screen) and then it forwarded to the login box which doesn't work of course because as a user I'm not validated. That may be where the issue lies.
I will try to reproduce the errors more specifically today.
Member Usergroup Promotion Activate? YES Incrimental Fee: $ 99 Item Number: 5 Sponsor Usergroup #: 2 Revert to this usergroup # on expiration: 1 Promote all items owned by member to a new item type? no Require all registrations from non-admins to be sponsored? no (only group 2 needs to pay)
-----------------------
What's happening is Group 2 registers, and they get the message their account must be validated by the admin rather than being sent to the payment page.
Shouldn't they be sent to the payment page first, then they pay, then the amt is added to their account, then they're validated?
I can't have visitors sitting there waiting for payment instructions.
If I'm suppose to set Require all registrations from non-admins to be sponsored? to YES, it makes the other members have to go to the payment page (which is weird because they are sent but not usergroup 2) and I don't want that happening.
Apparently this issue above is still happening. I'm still locked out as a user at the holding page: "Your registration has been submitted for review by the administrator. When your account has been approved, you'll receive an e-mail."
member sponsorship is on...link sponsorship working well, membership not so much. my custom reg page = reg_LP (if you have to look at my version) basically it's the same as the regular except for have a hidden variable to force a usergroup number on the member when they register.
I launch this Monday, and I thought this was fixed. I'll be available all weekend to help you fish out the solution if need be.
As of now it's only one usergroup that needs to pay for membership. The others pay per link. my login and password is the same if you need to take a look see.
Since you're busy I've been trying to work around this member payment issue (being stuck at the admin screen and unable to pay for the membership as a test member who must pay for access)
My work around was to
a) set the member sponsor page (promote.tpl) to 1.00 to make a test payment b) place a link the member home that says "click here to activate your account" c) used conditionals on sensitive areas such that if the usergroup is 2 and memberfunds = 0 serve up warning message about activating account.
So I made the payment as the test user , paid a dollar, went back to my site where areas I didn't have access because memberfunds = 0, now I do have access because presumably, I have 1 dollar in my account.
A few minutes later the memberfunds zeroed out. NOTHING. No money added? WTF .
All I know is that nothing works when it comes to sponsorship of membergroups.
Pending payments lists type as property (an itemtype) when its suppose to list a membership group? I don't know what's going on here.
IN THE DARK OVER HERE.
Also as membergroup 2 (that must pay) if I click edit profile...there is a field OPEN under memberfunds where it says 0. Members shouldn't have access to this field in any way....right?????? I mentioned this before and we went back and forth on it.
So did funds get erased? Never added? Errored out because I faked out the amount to 1 dollar instead of the sponsorship required 99?
Thanks for giving me a fresh install to mess around with. I wanted to test out a clean version to reproduce these membership issues. I set up member sponsorship for group 2 @ 99$, duration 365.
Registered as a test user (group 2) and lo and behold, again stuck at the admin must validate page with NO WAY to pay for membergroup. The page goes no where, the link is wrong (continue link).
"I see. It goes to the right page, but with the wrong message, and locks out that page to non-members. Fixing."
PRETTY PLEASE with sugar on top, fix this because I can't launch without it.
An email was sent out to a test user saying their usergroup has been changed.... (I was testing a work around because I launch Monday and I'm scrambling for a solution and then this email went out to my test user account:
I ran the crons to make this happen, and the db switches them to usergroup 1 as I requested in the sponsorship settings. However is this the wrong thing to do (set default to group to guest/1) because now my test user can't login to do ANYTHING (password is not accepted either). Not to login and sponsor, nothing..... because guests aren't members and can't do anything like access membersponsorship.php OR is this part of the whole membership sponsor hurricane I'm in the middle of right now?
---------------------------------------------------- ---- Update: I am creating a new usergroup and having membersponsorship default to usergroup 2 so they can at least login and I can work around a way to get them to sponsor. I've used conditionals to treat group 2 as a guest with limited access.
Group 2 is the default registration usergroup, so of course it can't be sponsored unless you select to make all registrations sponsored. You have that selection set to "no". Either you want all sponsored and want that "yes" or you don't want all sponsored and don't want group 2.
Thanks for the clarification. It still doesn't help me with the "priority posting."
If I have to hire to you fish out the issue, let me know. My client has pulled all his hair out with mine trying to officially launch.
The priority posting reflects all the current changes I've made to registration forms and membership sponsorship settings. I won't change anything until we figure out what needs to be changed together.
Comments on Sponsorship steps out of order?
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
I've been testing out the sponsorship tools with WSNCL and to me they seem completely out of order in terms of steps a person must take to register.
Right now (as per your recent changes to turn off direct registration) this is what I must do as a user which is completely backwards from a user point of view.
1) a user registers for usergroup 2 which is 99$/365 days
2) the admin must validate membership before user can pay (see the sponsor page) if admin doesn't......
3) user can't login to pay until membership is validated by admin Or
3.5) if admin DOES validate user the....
4) user HAS the ability to skip sponsorship page and NOT pay and have access to all abilities of usergroup 2.
Using a real world analogy, this the same thing as someone standing in line at a cash register trying to buy a map, only they're looking at the map while they're waiting. Once they reach the cashier, they put the map down and walk away because they have the info they need and the cashier no longer needs to accept money from them.
It would seem more logical to me to follow this protocol:
1) user registers for usergroup 2 but is not validated in terms of full access given to usergroup 2.
2) user is sent to sponsorship page to make payment
3) the payment validates membership (as well as the admin verifying payment) which officially turns on the membership to allow full group access allowed to usergroup 2
Using the same real world analogy, it's the same guy in line to pay for a map that's wrapped up in plastic to avoid tampering. Once he pays for the map, he owns the map and has access to the data on the map.
I know I'm not using the right terminology to communicate with you but this is all I have. I'm a designer not a programmer. I find the sponsorship section the weakest link to wsn and I only want to help make it clearer and more user-friendly for the people who use the software and the surfers who visit it in action.
Right now it's a completely user unfriendly and I'm so close to dumping this all together. Yeah, I'm that frustrated and I'm sorry.
I must be a complete idiot not to understand this. If anyone is successfully using the sponsorship section, please contact me, I'd like to talk user to user as well.
-------------------------
On a blame me note: Because I have 3 types of member usergroups, I have three custom registration forms.
Each custom registration form has a hidden variable setting the usergroup number. If this hidden variable is there, it's forcing the users into the proper usergroup and possibly screwing up my sponsorship flow because it's making them the usergroup 2 for instance giving them data access without paying first.
Perhaps my registration flow should NOT set the usergroup, or perhaps a sub station usergroup like guest but without data access, and the admin will set the usergroup once the payment is made?
That's probably the issue and it's been my crappy logic in designing the registration forms that's causing this mess.
--------------------------------
Maybe if guests chose which usergroup they wanted, were sent to a form that sent them on to paypal (or other payment system) first, then auto generated account information (for usergroup X) would be sent to them. I don't know I'm just throwing out ideas for possible custom work...
---------------------------------
Or, in order to prevent surfing if unpaid, an if statement where if funds are less than 1, they are forwarded to the sponsorship page until they pay....wouldn't that solve my problem. Of course admins would have to remain exempt from that. That would mean direct registration would be perfect and need to be enabled again.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
2) the admin must validate membership before user can pay (see the sponsor page)
No, the admin is not supposed to validate. The user is directed to a payment page after they register, and they once they pay on that page they're autovalidated.
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
In one attempt to register as a user I was directed to the first page I landed on once....there was some weird redirection going on.
Also, on another attempt I was not given the payment page it said I was not validated and had to wait for admin (message on screen) and then it forwarded to the login box which doesn't work of course because as a user I'm not validated. That may be where the issue lies.
I will try to reproduce the errors more specifically today.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
Are you registering from the suggest link page instead of the registration page?
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
I see. It goes to the right page, but with the wrong message, and locks out that page to non-members. Fixing.
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
Thanks. I thought I was c-r-a-z-y well...I am but for different reasons.
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
Here are my membership settings:
Member Usergroup Promotion
Activate? YES
Incrimental Fee: $ 99
Item Number: 5
Sponsor Usergroup #: 2
Revert to this usergroup # on expiration: 1
Promote all items owned by member to a new item type? no
Require all registrations from non-admins to be sponsored? no (only group 2 needs to pay)
-----------------------
What's happening is Group 2 registers, and they get the message their account must be validated by the admin rather than being sent to the payment page.
Shouldn't they be sent to the payment page first, then they pay, then the amt is added to their account, then they're validated?
I can't have visitors sitting there waiting for payment instructions.
If I'm suppose to set Require all registrations from non-admins to be sponsored? to YES, it makes the other members have to go to the payment page (which is weird because they are sent but not usergroup 2) and I don't want that happening.
Help.
--------------------
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
Apparently this issue above is still happening. I'm still locked out as a user at the holding page: "Your registration has been submitted for review by the administrator. When your account has been approved, you'll receive an e-mail."
member sponsorship is on...link sponsorship working well, membership not so much.
my custom reg page = reg_LP (if you have to look at my version) basically it's the same as the regular except for have a hidden variable to force a usergroup number on the member when they register.
I launch this Monday, and I thought this was fixed. I'll be available all weekend to help you fish out the solution if need be.
As of now it's only one usergroup that needs to pay for membership. The others pay per link. my login and password is the same if you need to take a look see.
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
Did I discover another bug?
Since you're busy I've been trying to work around this member payment issue (being stuck at the admin screen and unable to pay for the membership as a test member who must pay for access)
My work around was to
a) set the member sponsor page (promote.tpl) to 1.00 to make a test payment
b) place a link the member home that says "click here to activate your account"
c) used conditionals on sensitive areas such that if the usergroup is 2 and memberfunds = 0 serve up warning message about activating account.
So I made the payment as the test user , paid a dollar, went back to my site where areas I didn't have access because memberfunds = 0, now I do have access because presumably, I have 1 dollar in my account.
A few minutes later the memberfunds zeroed out. NOTHING. No money added? WTF .
All I know is that nothing works when it comes to sponsorship of membergroups.
Pending payments lists type as property (an itemtype) when its suppose to list a membership group? I don't know what's going on here.
IN THE DARK OVER HERE.
Also as membergroup 2 (that must pay) if I click edit profile...there is a field OPEN under memberfunds where it says 0. Members shouldn't have access to this field in any way....right?????? I mentioned this before and we went back and forth on it.
So did funds get erased? Never added? Errored out because I faked out the amount to 1 dollar instead of the sponsorship required 99?
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
Thanks for giving me a fresh install to mess around with. I wanted to test out a clean version to reproduce these membership issues. I set up member sponsorship for group 2 @ 99$, duration 365.
Registered as a test user (group 2) and lo and behold, again stuck at the admin must validate page with NO WAY to pay for membergroup. The page goes no where, the link is wrong (continue link).
"I see. It goes to the right page, but with the wrong message, and locks out that page to non-members. Fixing."
PRETTY PLEASE with sugar on top, fix this because I can't launch without it.
Attached Files:
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
An email was sent out to a test user saying their usergroup has been changed.... (I was testing a work around because I launch Monday and I'm scrambling for a solution and then this email went out to my test user account:
"Your funds have run out, so your member account ppp at http://www.xxxxxx.com/dir has reverted to 1. To move back into the premium usergroup, you will need to visit and http://www.xxxxxxx.com/dir/membersponsor.php and buy promotion again."
I ran the crons to make this happen, and the db switches them to usergroup 1 as I requested in the sponsorship settings. However is this the wrong thing to do (set default to group to guest/1) because now my test user can't login to do ANYTHING (password is not accepted either). Not to login and sponsor, nothing..... because guests aren't members and can't do anything like access membersponsorship.php OR is this part of the whole membership sponsor hurricane I'm in the middle of right now?
---------------------------------------------------- ----
Update: I am creating a new usergroup and having membersponsorship default to usergroup 2 so they can at least login and I can work around a way to get them to sponsor. I've used conditionals to treat group 2 as a guest with limited access.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
Group 2 is the default registration usergroup, so of course it can't be sponsored unless you select to make all registrations sponsored. You have that selection set to "no". Either you want all sponsored and want that "yes" or you don't want all sponsored and don't want group 2.
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 25, 2003
Total Topics: 70
Total Comments: 211
-Text changed-
Thanks for the clarification. It still doesn't help me with the "priority posting."
If I have to hire to you fish out the issue, let me know. My client has pulled all his hair out with mine trying to officially launch.
The priority posting reflects all the current changes I've made to registration forms and membership sponsorship settings. I won't change anything until we figure out what needs to be changed together.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
Site configuration service is always available and is always free if the issue turns out to be an actual bug: scripts.webmastersite.net/w...ifieds/?section=inspection