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This is my Shipping Bypass Feature for VirtueMart 1.1.0. These features must be incorporated into the next release of VM 1.1.x because these are critical features that support VM's "download" product type. As it stands, VM offers downloadable products without the concommitant checkout features to support it.
 There is no shipping method bypass -- or "No Shipping Required" shipping method -- available for carts whose sole contents are downloadable products.
There is a huge demand to allow free downloads, be it via specially designated shopper groups, coupon codes, or individual product pricing. Not only does VM offer no accomodation for free downloadable products; but, there is a code snippet that is never executed that seems to accomodate carts that total zero dollars. This snippet appears to be a hold-over from VM 1.0.x, and it should be cleaned up in the core source code. There should be a built-in payment method entitled "Free - No Payment Required", to designate carts whose total is zero dollars (or whatever the currency is). The above mentioned snippet looks like it skips the payment method -- a payment method bypass -- however, it is much preferable to see a real payment method in the order details screen. Also, it is preferable that the buyer see "Free - No Payment Required" as payment confirmation; rather than seeing a blank field. In addition, having no payment method appears to suppress the download link within the email notification for carts whose total is zero dollars. Whereas downloads that require payment have this download link, a completely free cart does not display this link. However, this link is present in the order details screen that the buyer sees. VM does not follow-through with its downloadable products capability, which is proving highly frustrating. The presence of downloadable products presumes a checkout that will accomodate its unique needs. Alas, this is not so! Another reason my features must be incorporated into the next release of VM 1.1.x is: the new themes feature is making it worse. My feature requires a change in one of the theme files. Now, all the themes that come with VM must be changed. Additionally, all present and future third-party themes must include my change. I am not going to maintain all the present and future native & third-party themes. Nor should I. As well, VM 1.0.x code was sliced-and-diced into the new themes feature. This code is not completely slice-and-dice-able; so, it's apparent that this code will be refined with future releases. It is highly beneficial that the core team incorporate my features now so as to refine my features along with the overall refinement their new theme feature will undergo. My features are a core feature set that should already be a part of VM's source. These are not superfluous changes demanded by clients with highly unique needs. My features spring from the absence of core features repeatedly demanded by my clients, and repeated ad nauseum in the forums. I urge everyone who agrees to email Soren. As well, I cannot assure one and all that I shall continue to dissect VM ad infinitum for all future releases so as to provide my clients & the public with these core features. My blog post about this is at http://www.southlasalle.com/blog/downloads-no-more-bypassing-core/. -Bob |
