.com.au registrations failing

[mikelegg]

I've had 5 Automatic Domain Registration Failures on .com.au domains today.

The reason given was "Error: Registrant ID (ABN, ACN or RBN) is missing", but the ABN was entered in every case.

 

I'm using TPP Internet as the registrar.

 

Is anybody else having this problem?

 

The only thing I've changed recently is the labels beside the additional form fields, could this cause a problem?

[mikelegg]

I've just noticed that with the last 4 failures, the ABN isn't showing up in the WHMCS admin, but I know it was entered during the order process.

 

If I re-enter the ABN via the WHMCS admin and click "Register" the order reaches the TPP API with the ABN intact.

 

So it seems to be getting lost somewhere during the order process.

Edited December 7, 2009 by mikelegg

[mikelegg]

I've reverted back to the original version of includes/additionaldomainfields.php and the .com.au registrations are working again.

 

I'm not sure, but It looks like WHMCS doesn't like it when you change the labels for the additional fields.

[mikelegg]

Another thought ...

 

I also changed the order of the fields in the array.

 

It appears that the field names are based on a multidimensional array, so changing the order may have changed the name of the Registrant ID field which thus caused the script that processes the form to no longer be able to read the value.

 

Can anyone confirm if that would be the case?

Edited December 7, 2009 by mikelegg

[mikelegg]

Nope wrong again.

 

Even if I leave the fields in the same order, as soon as I change the labels for the additional .com.au fields in includes/additionaldomainfields.php the orders fail with "Error: Registrant ID (ABN, ACN or RBN) is missing"

[mikelegg]

OK, I have another theory ....

 

I've commented out the eligibility fields in additionaldomainfields.php to make the form simpler for my clients.

 

Could the fact that these fields are missing be throwing things out of kilter?

 

I'll try turning them into hidden fields instead of commenting them out and see if that helps.

[Damo]

Yes that would certainly result in the fields missing error. You can put them as hidden fields in the form but they'll need to have values in them when the form is posted. Maybe a little javascript could be used. Or maybe add some more descriptive information to the fields so that they make a little more sense?

[mikelegg]

I turned them into hidden fields with "N/A" as the default value, but WHMCS is still sending the customer's name instead of the registrant's name to the registrar when the order is processed so all AU domain registrations are failing.

 

I've reverted back to the original version of additionaldomainfields.php. I'll see if WHMCS submits the correct values now.

[Damo]

Which fields exactly were you editing out (setting as N/A)? The registry requires all the values so by not supplying correct values the registration will (should) fail.

 

The only time we've had an .au fail is when someone entered a persons job position into the Registrant ID field. We use Distribute.IT so I corrected the value on the clients domain summary and clicked register again. Second time it went through just fine.

[mikelegg]

The fields I want to hide are -

Eligibility Name

Eligibility ID

Eligibility ID Type

Eligibility Type

 

These are all optional fields. They are only required if the eligibility of the registration is based on a name other than the legal name of the entity.

 

But this situation can easily be addressed by clicking the "Close and Substantial Connection" option.

 

So as long as clients click this option, the only data they need to supply is the legal name of their entity for "Registrant Name", their ABN or ACN for "Registrant ID" and then select the appropriate option (ABN or ACN) for "Registrant ID Type".

 

I've seen other people successfully use WHMCS in this way, but they must be using a different registrar to me, because I can't get it to work.

[sparky]

Mine has been working fine with DIstributeIT

[mikelegg]

Mine has been working fine with DIstributeIT

 

Yes, I've seen other providers do exactly what I want to do via Distribute.IT as well.

 

I do have a Distribute.IT account, but TPP are my main provider. I'll have to do some reading up on the TPP API.

[mikelegg]

I've put the TPP Registrar in test mode, removed the unwanted fields and submitted some test registrations.

 

The result ... when I hide remove the superfluous "Eligibility" fields, WHMCS for some inexplicable reason substitutes the Registrant name as entered in the form with the client's Business name.

 

So it looks like my only options are to change registrar, or leave the confusing fields in the form .... I don't like either option ... but there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it.