Zip Codes (5 and 6+ field differences)?

Badger · July 3rd, 2010, 02:47 PM

Hi Chuck ..

I thought I'd open a ticket on this here, although it may be the wrong place..

I put my zipcode in the ads I place under user "badger" ...

It was 6 characters and the ad creation and edit function permitted me to enter 123456. (fictitious number)

I then logged in under user "tester" and I see the field for zipcode, but all it says is "Distance from you" ... "No Zip Code" when the user "tester" is looking at my ads?

There's no drop down box appearing or anywhere I can see to enter my (under name tester) zip code so it can calculate anything.

Zipcode option is turned ON ...

Note: I did the above using FireFox 3.6.6.

I then switched to Safari v5.0 and with exactly the same circumstances and testing criteria, I'm able to see the drop down box, so I attempted to enter using the name "tester" on "badger"'s ads a zipcode 123456. It wouldn't let me enter more than 5 characters?

I know you added the Canadian Zip Codes and I think you changed something that permitted one to enter more than 6 characters, but is there more than one place the latter changes need to be made, which is why the input fields on showing ad categories and the ad itself won't take more than 5 characters, but the creation and edit will take 6?

Am I missing something?

Regards,
Doug

Chuck S · July 3rd, 2010, 02:55 PM

These lines in showcat.php and showproduct.php would need to be changed to say 10

Code:

Content visible to verified customers only.

I did this for you.

Badger · July 3rd, 2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck S

These lines in showcat.php and showproduct.php would need to be changed to say 10

Code:

Content visible to verified customers only.

I did this for you.

Thank you partner .. much appreciated ..

Just so you have a reference for future questions that may come in from other customers using FireFox ...

Here's two pics of excactly the same screen using FireFox 3.6.6 and Safari 5.0. Note that FireFox does not display the drop down box for zipcodes, whereas Safari does.

I think there's something really screwed up in FireFox as it's written and released to run on Mac OSX Leopard v10.6.4...

Regards,
Doug

Badger · July 3rd, 2010, 05:09 PM

I think I'm losing it ...

Now, even Safari doesn't permit zipcode entries. Everything in it says "No Zip Code" now.... doh!!

Anyway, when Safari was letting me enter a zip code to see if it worked, all it ever did was clear the screen and return to the display. I could never get it to compare for example:

My ads under Badger say L4A1P1 and when logged in as user "tester", I'd type M5H3Y2. Nothing would show...

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, as I was sure Don said he had it working...

Regards,
Doug

Chuck S · July 3rd, 2010, 08:51 PM

well do an ad with us zipcodes does it work try 21014 and 21009

I would bet it works as I stated if the guy who did this reversed the lat and lon fields you can see earlier in the thread you got the database from

Badger · July 4th, 2010, 07:33 AM

Good morning Chuck ...

Happy July 4th!!!

I will try the U.S. thing later today ...

I woke up this morning and checked the Classifieds. A member had placed a new ad and I was surprised to see in the category display, it showing the distance of 1,907 miles in Gifford Florida. (see pics)

I never entered anything, nor did I see any drop down box for me to enter a zipcode for this distance number to be generated from. It simply showed up as in the pic. I did a quick check with a "distance calculator" (see pic) and it says I'm about 1,126 miles (1,813 Km) away from that member, so I'm not sure where the 1,907 miles came from.

I'll check with Don and see if he's had any problems like this using the Canadian add-on for zip codes, but ignoring that for the moment, where would the 1,907 miles come from and how did it know to fill in that value with no prompting from any drop down box?

Thanks again ...

Regards,
Doug

dknelson · July 4th, 2010, 08:01 AM

The distances are calculated by the longitude and latitude data. If that data is incorrect for either of the zipcodes that are entered then the distance is going to be incorrect also. I've found that the majority are OK but there are obviously some mistakes in the downloaded zip files. I know for a fact that some of the US zipcodes are incorrect and it is likely that some of the Canadian codes are incorrect also. The only way to correct it would be to go through all 1.8 million or so codes and verify the lat and lon coordinates. I know that I don't have time to do that.

Now as for it showing the distance even though you hadn't put in your zip code. The only thing I can figure is that it must have saved your previous entry in a cookie or something. That could also be another explanation of the distance error. Maybe it saved the "tester" code that you entered. You might try logging out, clearing your browser cache, and then re-entering your zip code and checking it again.

Badger · July 4th, 2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dknelson

The distances are calculated by the longitude and latitude data. If that data is incorrect for either of the zipcodes that are entered then the distance is going to be incorrect also. I've found that the majority are OK but there are obviously some mistakes in the downloaded zip files. I know for a fact that some of the US zipcodes are incorrect and it is likely that some of the Canadian codes are incorrect also. The only way to correct it would be to go through all 1.8 million or so codes and verify the lat and lon coordinates. I know that I don't have time to do that.

Now as for it showing the distance even though you hadn't put in your zip code. The only thing I can figure is that it must have saved your previous entry in a cookie or something. That could also be another explanation of the distance error. Maybe it saved the "tester" code that you entered. You might try logging out, clearing your browser cache, and then re-entering your zip code and checking it again.

Thanks Don ...

Appreciate the feedback ....

What is the correct format a Canadian user should use when typing in his zipcode for an ad he creates?

ie:

L4A 1P1 (government spec is this way...)
or
L4A1P1

Also is it case sensitive for Classifieds to understand?

I did clear cookies and cache, but it still shows as in the pics. The ONLY other place I can think it might pick up my zipcode itself would be from my own adverts I placed myself on Classifieds, where I entered l4a1p1. Is that possib;e? Does Classifieds pick up and store zipcodes people use when they post them in their own ads and then compare them against other members zip codes in their ads automatically?

Regards,
Doug

Badger · July 4th, 2010, 09:45 AM

This is interesting ...

I switched to Safari 5.0 from FireFox 3.6.6 and the distance for the same advert jumped to 7,500 miles, just by switching browsers ...

Regards,
Doug

Badger · July 4th, 2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck S

well do an ad with us zipcodes does it work try 21014 and 21009

Hi Chuck ..

I created a test ad and entered my zipcode as 21014

Want to Sell - Quartermaster Stores (Member Classifieds)

I then simply did a show the ads in the category and I see the pic below.

It shows 8,313 miles to Bel Air, Maryland, but I never entered anything anywhere in any drop down box that it would have another data point (ie: another zip code) to compare to in order to show this result?

Since I just tested with a U.S. zipcode, I don't think this has anything to do with Canadian zipcodes, but rather the fact that on both Safari 5.0 and Firefox 3.6.6, I never see any option to type in a zipcode box where I am, in order for the program to calculate the distance. It's picking up some value someplace, but it's not something I'm typing in.

Make any sense?

Regards,
Doug

Chuck S · July 4th, 2010, 11:37 AM

Doug the myzipcode cookie is good for one browser session meaning you must close the browser and reopen if you want to enter a new zipcode

5 miles
( Bel Air,Maryland )

Thats what I see because my zipcode is 21009 so your calculations are correct for US.

I would suspect whatever source code the initial user got he my mistake mixmatched the columns as I posted a few posts ago. I beleive he even confirmed this in his old thread and even here. The calculations are only as good as the data entered. This was a hand made cvs from my understanding.

Badger · July 4th, 2010, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Doug the myzipcode cookie is good for one browser session meaning you must close the browser and reopen if you want to enter a new zipcode

5 miles
( Bel Air,Maryland )

Thats what I see because my zipcode is 21009 so your calculations are correct for US.

So, the first time someone enters their zipcode, it creates a cookie?

That explains how it stops asking for me to enter a zip code in a drop down box.

I asked Don, but I think he's away right now, so can you answer this for me?

What is the correct format a Canadian user should use when typing in his zipcode for an ad he creates?

ie:

L4A 1P1 (government spec is this way...)
or
L4A1P1

I can't see the database, so I don't know how they are stored.

Also is it case sensitive for Classifieds to understand?

Regards,
Doug

dknelson · July 4th, 2010, 05:53 PM

The columns were mismatched originally but were correct in the file that I sent you guys. As for the format, do NOT use the space. Enter it as L4A1P1 because that is how the data is in the database. No spaces.

Chuck S · July 4th, 2010, 06:01 PM

Doug your entering your zipcodes WRONG.

The zipcode is

L4A1P1

NOT

l4a1p1

Your entering things lowercase thats your problem

Badger · July 5th, 2010, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Doug your entering your zipcodes WRONG.

The zipcode is

L4A1P1

NOT

l4a1p1

Your entering things lowercase thats your problem

Roger that.....

Will test with caps on and no space between the first three characters.

Regards
Doug

Chuck S · July 5th, 2010, 09:45 AM

yeah I actually went into the database and saw how you where entering them.

Badger · July 7th, 2010, 02:38 PM

Hi Chuck ....

Well, I entered as L4A1P1 but it still doesn't work, so I'll wait until Don gets back and see if he can shed any light on what I may be doing wrong.

Thanks

Regards
Doug

Chuck S · July 7th, 2010, 05:15 PM

Okay yea any zip calculations I did seem to work.

Badger · July 17th, 2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Okay yea any zip calculations I did seem to work.

Ok, I still can't seem to make dknelson's Canadian add-on work and I'm not sure if Don is back yet, but I sent him an email...

I see 4.03 is released and I think I'm running 4.02, although it says "Classifieds 3.13 Update!" at the top of the Admin screen.

So, do you think 4.03 will solve my problem?

Thanks Chuck ...

Regards,
Doug

Chuck S · July 17th, 2010, 11:02 PM

well 4.03 has any of the code changes I noted to make it work. Last chance I saw your site it worked as long as the zipcodes you entered where the correct case.