title: PayPal IPN for subscription - Works partially
body: <p>I am running PayPal Subscription and I am trying to fire database writes based upon the response received. Up until yesterday, the code was working correctly. But today, strangely, the code stopped firing emails upon receiving payments. I am not sure if this is a glitch on PayPal's side or mine. I don't think its an issue with my code because I stripped a lot of code from it and I am currently using the basic version of IPN for payments tracking, but even then it does not make database inserts or fires emails.</p>
  
  <p>I also searched SO for possible solutions &amp; even implemented the ones that I found were close to my answer. But unfortunately, they didn't work. So here's my IPN code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;?php
  // read the post from PayPal system and add 'cmd'
  $req = 'cmd=_notify-validate';
  foreach ($_POST as $key =&gt; $value) {
  $value = urlencode(stripslashes($value));
  $req .= "&amp;$key=$value";
  }
  // post back to PayPal system to validate
  $header = "POST /cgi-bin/webscr HTTP/1.0\r\n";
  $header .= "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\n";
  $header .= "Content-Length: " . strlen($req) . "\r\n\r\n";
  
  // If testing on Sandbox use:
  $fp = fsockopen ('ssl://www.sandbox.paypal.com', 443, $errno, $errstr, 30);
  
  
  // assign posted variables to local variables
  $item_name = $_POST['item_name'];
  $business = $_POST['business'];
  $item_number = $_POST['item_number'];
  $payment_status = $_POST['payment_status'];
  $mc_gross = $_POST['mc_gross'];
  $payment_currency = $_POST['mc_currency'];
  $txn_id = $_POST['txn_id'];
  $receiver_email = $_POST['receiver_email'];
  $receiver_id = $_POST['receiver_id'];
  $quantity = $_POST['quantity'];
  $num_cart_items = $_POST['num_cart_items'];
  $payment_date = $_POST['payment_date'];
  $first_name = $_POST['first_name'];
  $last_name = $_POST['last_name'];
  $payment_type = $_POST['payment_type'];
  $payment_status = $_POST['payment_status'];
  $payment_gross = $_POST['payment_gross'];
  $payment_fee = $_POST['payment_fee'];
  $settle_amount = $_POST['settle_amount'];
  $memo = $_POST['memo'];
  $payer_email = $_POST['payer_email'];
  $txn_type = $_POST['txn_type'];
  $payer_status = $_POST['payer_status'];
  $address_street = $_POST['address_street'];
  $address_city = $_POST['address_city'];
  $address_state = $_POST['address_state'];
  $address_zip = $_POST['address_zip'];
  $address_country = $_POST['address_country'];
  $address_status = $_POST['address_status'];
  $item_number = $_POST['item_number'];
  $tax = $_POST['tax'];
  $option_name1 = $_POST['option_name1'];
  $option_selection1 = $_POST['option_selection1'];
  $option_name2 = $_POST['option_name2'];
  $option_selection2 = $_POST['option_selection2'];
  $for_auction = $_POST['for_auction'];
  $invoice = $_POST['invoice'];
  $custom = $_POST['custom'];
  $notify_version = $_POST['notify_version'];
  $verify_sign = $_POST['verify_sign'];
  $payer_business_name = $_POST['payer_business_name'];
  $payer_id =$_POST['payer_id'];
  $mc_currency = $_POST['mc_currency'];
  $mc_fee = $_POST['mc_fee'];
  $exchange_rate = $_POST['exchange_rate'];
  $settle_currency  = $_POST['settle_currency'];
  $parent_txn_id  = $_POST['parent_txn_id'];
  $pending_reason = $_POST['pending_reason'];
  $reason_code = $_POST['reason_code'];
  
  
  // subscription specific vars
  
  $subscr_id = $_POST['subscr_id'];
  $subscr_date = $_POST['subscr_date'];
  $subscr_effective  = $_POST['subscr_effective'];
  $period1 = $_POST['period1'];
  $period2 = $_POST['period2'];
  $period3 = $_POST['period3'];
  $amount1 = $_POST['amount1'];
  $amount2 = $_POST['amount2'];
  $amount3 = $_POST['amount3'];
  $mc_amount1 = $_POST['mc_amount1'];
  $mc_amount2 = $_POST['mc_amount2'];
  $mc_amount3 = $_POST['mcamount3'];
  $recurring = $_POST['recurring'];
  $reattempt = $_POST['reattempt'];
  $retry_at = $_POST['retry_at'];
  $recur_times = $_POST['recur_times'];
  $username = $_POST['username'];
  $password = $_POST['password'];
  
  //auction specific vars
  
  $for_auction = $_POST['for_auction'];
  $auction_closing_date  = $_POST['auction_closing_date'];
  $auction_multi_item  = $_POST['auction_multi_item'];
  $auction_buyer_id  = $_POST['auction_buyer_id'];
  
  
  
  $notify_email =  "myemail@domain.com"; //email address to which debug emails are sent to
  $DB_Server = "host"; //your MySQL Server
  $DB_Username = "user"; //your MySQL User Name
  $DB_Password = "password"; //your MySQL Password
  $DB_DBName = "dbname"; //your MySQL Database Name
  
  
  if (!$fp) 
  {
      // HTTP ERROR
  } 
  else 
  {
  
      mail($notify_email, "IPN Triggered 1", "IPN Triggered 1");  
  
      fputs ($fp, $header . $req);
  
      while (!feof($fp)) 
      {
          //Already used this
          //$res = fgets ($fp, 1024);
  
          //Using this to see if it sends response
          $res = stream_get_contents($fp, 1024);
  
  
          if (strcmp ($res, "VERIFIED") == 0) 
          {   
              mail($notify_email, "VERIFIED 1", "VERIFIED 1");
  
              //create MySQL connection
              $Connect = mysql_connect($DB_Server, $DB_Username, $DB_Password)
              or die("Couldn't connect to MySQL:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
  
  
              //select database
              $Db = @mysql_select_db($DB_DBName, $Connect)
              or die("Couldn't select database:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error(). "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
  
  
              $fecha = date("m")."/".date("d")."/".date("Y");
              $fecha = date("Y").date("m").date("d");
  
              //check if transaction ID has been processed before
              $checkquery = "select txnid from paypal_payment_info where txnid='".$txn_id."'";
              $sihay = mysql_query($checkquery) or die("Duplicate txn id check query failed:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
              $nm = mysql_num_rows($sihay);
  
              if ($nm == 0)
              {
                  //execute query
                  if ($txn_type == "cart")
                  {
                      $strQuery = "insert into paypal_payment_info(paymentstatus,buyer_email,firstname,lastname,street,city,state,zipcode,country,mc_gross,mc_fee,memo,paymenttype,paymentdate,txnid,pendingreason,reasoncode,tax,datecreation) values ('".$payment_status."','".$payer_email."','".$first_name."','".$last_name."','".$address_street."','".$address_city."','".$address_state."','".$address_zip."','".$address_country."','".$mc_gross."','".$mc_fee."','".$memo."','".$payment_type."','".$payment_date."','".$txn_id."','".$pending_reason."','".$reason_code."','".$tax."','".$fecha."')";
  
                       $result = mysql_query($strQuery) or die("Cart - paypal_payment_info, Query failed:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
  
                       for ($i = 1; $i &lt;= $num_cart_items; $i++) 
                       {
                           $itemname = "item_name".$i;
                           $itemnumber = "item_number".$i;
                           $on0 = "option_name1_".$i;
                           $os0 = "option_selection1_".$i;
                           $on1 = "option_name2_".$i;
                           $os1 = "option_selection2_".$i;
                           $quantity = "quantity".$i;
  
                           $struery = "insert into paypal_cart_info(txnid,itemnumber,itemname,os0,on0,os1,on1,quantity,invoice,custom) values ('".$txn_id."','".$_POST[$itemnumber]."','".$_POST[$itemname]."','".$_POST[$on0]."','".$_POST[$os0]."','".$_POST[$on1]."','".$_POST[$os1]."','".$_POST[$quantity]."','".$invoice."','".$custom."')";
           $result = mysql_query($struery) or die("Cart - paypal_cart_info, Query failed:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
  
                       }
                  }
                  else
                  {
                       $strQuery = "insert into paypal_payment_info(paymentstatus,buyer_email,firstname,lastname,street,city,state,zipcode,country,mc_gross,mc_fee,itemnumber,itemname,os0,on0,os1,on1,quantity,memo,paymenttype,paymentdate,txnid,pendingreason,reasoncode,tax,datecreation) values ('".$payment_status."','".$payer_email."','".$first_name."','".$last_name."','".$address_street."','".$address_city."','".$address_state."','".$address_zip."','".$address_country."','".$mc_gross."','".$mc_fee."','".$item_number."','".$item_name."','".$option_name1."','".$option_selection1."','".$option_name2."','".$option_selection2."','".$quantity."','".$memo."','".$payment_type."','".$payment_date."','".$txn_id."','".$pending_reason."','".$reason_code."','".$tax."','".$fecha."')";
  
                       $result = mysql_query("insert into paypal_payment_info(paymentstatus,buyer_email,firstname,lastname,street,city,state,zipcode,country,mc_gross,mc_fee,itemnumber,itemname,os0,on0,os1,on1,quantity,memo,paymenttype,paymentdate,txnid,pendingreason,reasoncode,tax,datecreation) values ('".$payment_status."','".$payer_email."','".$first_name."','".$last_name."','".$address_street."','".$address_city."','".$address_state."','".$address_zip."','".$address_country."','".$mc_gross."','".$mc_fee."','".$item_number."','".$item_name."','".$option_name1."','".$option_selection1."','".$option_name2."','".$option_selection2."','".$quantity."','".$memo."','".$payment_type."','".$payment_date."','".$txn_id."','".$pending_reason."','".$reason_code."','".$tax."','".$fecha."')") or die("Default - paypal_payment_info, Query failed:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
                  }
  
              // send an email in any case
               //echo "Verified";
                  mail($notify_email, "VERIFIED IPN", "$res\n $req\n $strQuery\n $struery\n  $strQuery2");
              }
              else 
              {
                  // send an email
                  mail($notify_email, "VERIFIED DUPLICATED TRANSACTION", "$res\n $req \n $strQuery\n $struery\n  $strQuery2");
              }
  
              //subscription handling branch
              if ( $txn_type == "subscr_signup"  ||  $txn_type == "subscr_payment"  ) 
              {
                  // insert subscriber payment info into paypal_payment_info table
                  $strQuery = "insert into paypal_payment_info(paymentstatus,buyer_email,firstname,lastname,street,city,state,zipcode,country,mc_gross,mc_fee,memo,paymenttype,paymentdate,txnid,pendingreason,reasoncode,tax,datecreation) values ('".$payment_status."','".$payer_email."','".$first_name."','".$last_name."','".$address_street."','".$address_city."','".$address_state."','".$address_zip."','".$address_country."','".$mc_gross."','".$mc_fee."','".$memo."','".$payment_type."','".$payment_date."','".$txn_id."','".$pending_reason."','".$reason_code."','".$tax."','".$fecha."')";
                  $result = mysql_query($strQuery) or die("Subscription - paypal_payment_info, Query failed:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
  
  
                   // insert subscriber info into paypal_subscription_info table
                  $strQuery2 = "insert into paypal_subscription_info(subscr_id , sub_event, subscr_date ,subscr_effective,period1,period2, period3, amount1 ,amount2 ,amount3,  mc_amount1,  mc_amount2,  mc_amount3, recurring, reattempt,retry_at, recur_times, username ,password, payment_txn_id, subscriber_emailaddress, datecreation) values ('".$subscr_id."', '".$txn_type."','".$subscr_date."','".$subscr_effective."','".$period1."','".$period2."','".$period3."','".$amount1."','".$amount2."','".$amount3."','".$mc_amount1."','".$mc_amount2."','".$mc_amount3."','".$recurring."','".$reattempt."','".$retry_at."','".$recur_times."','".$username."','".$password."', '".$txn_id."','".$payer_email."','".$fecha."')";
                  $result = mysql_query($strQuery2) or die("Subscription - paypal_subscription_info, Query failed:&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_error() . "&lt;br&gt;" . mysql_errno());
  
  
                  mail($notify_email, "VERIFIED IPN", "$res\n $req\n $strQuery\n $struery\n  $strQuery2");
  
              }
          }
  
          // if the IPN POST was 'INVALID'...do this
          else if (strcmp ($res, "INVALID") == 0) 
          {
              // log for manual investigation
              mail($notify_email, "INVALID IPN", "$res\n $req");
          }
      }
  
      fclose ($fp);
  }
  ?&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What I have noticed that up until the following line, the code is working correctly: <code>mail($notify_email, "IPN Triggered 1", "IPN Triggered 1");</code> I am receiving this email with the subject line <strong>IPN Triggered 1</strong>. So up until this line, its working good.</p>
  
  <p>Once it gets into the while loop, it's <strong>not</strong> triggering the mails. There is a mail function in <code>if (strcmp ($res, "VERIFIED") == 0)</code> but it's not getting triggered. This was working yesterday, but today it's not!!! None of the mail functions that are within the <code>while</code> loop are triggered.</p>
  
  <p><strong>What can be done to fix this issue so that I can perform both the operations i.e. write to database and send mails?</strong></p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT 1:</strong></p>
  
  <p>Ok, I stripped the code that inserts into database &amp; it still behaves the same way. I really feel that PayPal Sandbox is not sending the response. Can anyone please confirm this?</p>
  
  <p>The other half of the code that I modified, looks like this now:</p>
  
  <pre><code>if (!$fp) 
  {
      // HTTP ERROR
  } 
  else 
  {
  
      mail($notify_email, "IPN Triggered 1", "IPN Triggered 1");  
  
      fputs ($fp, $header . $req);
  
      while (!feof($fp)) 
      {
          //Already used this
          //$res = fgets ($fp, 1024);
  
          //Using this to see if it sends response
          $res = stream_get_contents($fp, 1024);
  
  
          if (strcmp ($res, "VERIFIED") == 0) 
          {   
              mail($notify_email, "VERIFIED 1", "VERIFIED 1");
  
          }
          // if the IPN POST was 'INVALID'...do this
          else if (strcmp ($res, "INVALID") == 0) 
          {
              // log for manual investigation
              mail($notify_email, "INVALID IPN", "$res\n $req");
          }
      }
  
      fclose ($fp);
  }
  </code></pre>