Beginning ASP.NET 1.1 E-Commerce
Another aspect of web development you all seem to be interested in is E-Commerce. We hope to be having some tailor made DMXzone articles coming up on this subject later this year, but for the moment we're going to introduce you one of the latest books on the subject.
Using ASP.NET and VB.NET, Beginning ASP.NET 1.1 E-Commerce, a recent Apress book by Cristian Darie and Karli Watson, builds a web site in three phases of increasing complexity. Starting with a simple PayPal based site, the book moves onto the development of a custom shopping basket and eventually details how to develop a bespoke order pipeline and handle credit card payments yourself.
Whilst more a Microsoft oriented book without specific Dreamweaver information (it concentrates mainly on the server side processing), nevertheless this book contains valuable information for anybody thinking of implementing a .NET e-commerce solution.
In the attached sample chapter, we are taught about credit card processing.
Fulfillment Request
For a fulfillment request, you need to send the following information:
- DataCash username (known as the DataCash Client)
- DataCash password
- The type of the transaction (for fulfillment, you use the code fulfil)
- The authentication code received earlier
- The reference number received earlier
Optionally, you can include additional information, such as a confirmation of the amount to be debited from the credit card, although this isn’t really necessary.
This is formatted as follows:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Request>
<Authentication>
<password>DataCash password</password>
<client>DataCash client</client>
</Authentication>
<Transaction>
<HistoricTxn>
<reference>Reference Number</reference>
<authcode>Authentication code</authcode>
<method>fulfil</method>
</HistoricTxn>
</Transaction>
</Request>
Fulfillment Response
The response to a fulfillment request includes the following information:
- A status code number indicating what happened; 1 if the transaction was successful, or one of several other codes if something else happens. Again for a complete list of the codes, see https://testserver.datacash.com/software/returncodes.html.
- A reason for the status, which is basically a string explaining the status in English. For a status of 1, this string is FULFILLED OK.
- Two copies of the reference code for use by DataCash.
- The time that the transaction was processed.
- The mode of the transaction, which is TEST when using the test account.
The XML for this is formatted as follows:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Response>
<status>Status code</status>
<reason>Reason</reason>
<merchantreference>Reference Code</merchantreference>
<datacash_reference>Reference Code</datacash_reference>
<time>Time</time>
<mode>TEST</mode>
</Response>
Ian Blackham
Following a degree in Chemistry and a doctorate in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Ian spent several years wrestling with acronyms in industrial R&D (SEM with a side order of EDS, AFM and TEM augmented with a topping of XPS and SIMS and yet more SEM and TEM).
Feeling that he needed a career with more terminology but less high voltages, Ian became a technical/commissioning editor with Wrox Press working on books as diverse as Beg VB Application Development and Professional Java Security. After Wrox's dissolution and a few short term assignments Ian became content manager at DMXzone.
Ian is a refugee from the industrial Black Country having slipped across the border to live in Birmingham. In his spare time he helps out with the website of a local history society, tries to makes sure he does what his wife Kate says, and worries that the little 'un Noah is already more grown up than he is.