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I’ve been using the store for a day now, and a few of my customers have complained about not being able to download the files. FYI, I have my downloadable files hosted on a different server and I provided absolute links in the eStore database, with no spaces. Some said that their downloads stopped prematurely and other weren’t able to download at all. When I generate a download link and attempt to download the files myself, I’m successful at doing it. I accidentally delete my log files before copying the code, but this line was generated with all the download attempts, successful and unsuccessful:
URL aware fropen() disabled, forcing cURL
I read this thread here: https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/selecting-a-download-method
And it best describes my problem. Links aside, the generated code in the logs were identical to mine. Some had the SUCCESS line at the end and others didn’t.
So to my question. I noticed that I can’t use any other method because it gets changed to Method 7 automatically, and the thread suggest it may be my settings on my server preventing the plugin from using the other settings. I would like to know if there’s any way I can change the settings to allow me to use methods other than 7. And if so, how?
Here’s the code generated from a recent download attempt by a customer:
[08/01/2012 10:59 PM] – Status : Unresolved DL file path = http://url/to/site/file.mp4
[08/01/2012 10:59 PM] – Status : Resolved DL file path = http://url/to/site/file.mp4
[08/01/2012 10:59 PM] – Advisory : No DL file path conversion performed on URL.
[08/01/2012 10:59 PM] – Advisory : URL aware fropen() disabled, forcing cURL…
[08/01/2012 10:59 PM] – Status : Dispatching DL method = 7
[08/01/2012 11:02 PM] – SUCCESS : DL completed with no server-side errors detected.
(http://url/to/site/file.mp4 is what I put in place here to hide the actual web address)
It says here that it was successful, but a customer is still saying he’s having trouble downloading.
Part of the problem is that you have the files hosted on “another server.” What happens, is that eStore first reads the file in chunks from “the other server” into yours and then resends it to the buyer. You are effectively doubling your bandwidth usage and increasing the likelihood of transmission errors.
Method 7 cURL is being forced, due to limitations and restrictions imposed by your hosting provider. You can’t fix that problem, except by changing providers.
The logs state “DL completed with no server-side errors detected.” Technically this is true, as eStore can only check for problems internal to your host.
If you are unable to host the files on your own server, it is recommended that you use the native Amazon S3 integration option, and host your files on Amazon. Amazon has a free usage tier that is good for the first year. Users have been reporting monthly costs of less than 25 cents a month.
Okay. Any idea why it works fine when I attempt to download them using encrypted links I generated, but when my customers attempt to using the links generated after purchase, they have trouble?
I’m not sure where the customers are, as my payment gateway doesn’t ask for address information. I’m in the USA and the servers are in Germany.
I don’t want to use Amazon to host my files simply because I’ve had a bad experience using third-party hosts to manage my files in the past. My plan was to host everything on my own server and bypass any third party services, which is why I bought eStore in the first place. Aside from this issue, everything has been working fine.
Could you maybe recommend a server that has PHP settings that will actually allow me to use other download methods other than Method 7?
GoDaddy works for me.
As for the reliability of Amazon S3, this is the same network and the same servers that run Netflix and Amazon Instant Videos.
As a matter of interest, you should ask those customers with problems where they are located. Obviously, if they are in countries with national firewalls they would be expected to have problems.
Do you have GoDaddy web hosting or one of their virtual/dedicated servers? And are you using a linux or windows server? I’m going to just switch to a new hosting company, but I would like to know that GoDaddy won’t give me the same problems I’m currently having. So any information you can give me about choosing the right package would be appreciated.
I am using the GoDaddy, WordPress Linux hosting package. You do not need a dedicated server, unless you are absolutely determined to not use Amazon S3 (despite the lower cost); or if your self hosted files are so large that they cause HTTP session timeouts to occur during the download process. And stay away from the virtual servers.
I’m absolutely determined to not use Amazon S3. Like I said, I’ve had bad experience in the past few months using quite a few different third-party hosting solutions, and I would rather just use my own server so I can have more control over the content hosted on it and its setup. Are you using Amazon S3 with your eStore setup or your GoDaddy hosting server?
I personally wrote the code for the Amazon S3 integration, for the following reasons:
Several eStore users (including I) have run into a situation involving HTTP session timeouts; in which large file downloads exceed the hosting provider’s timeout value for open HTTP sessions. When this occurs, the provider unceremoniously terminates the download manager script; resulting in aborted downloads. For this to happen, file downloads need to take more than about 8 minutes to complete.
If you search these forums, nobody has ended up “unhappy” about their decision to use Amazon S3. As previously stated, Amazon S3 uses the same servers that Netflix and Amazon Instant Videos uses. According to Wikipedia, as of June 2012, over one trillion files are currently hosted on Amazon S3. The average downtime is less than 43 minutes each month.
I signed up for an S3 account and am setting up one of my products, a large video file, to use the system. So using Amazon S3, customers shouldn’t have anymore issues with their downloads timing out?
Correct, because after the encrypted link is verified, the entire download process is handed off to Amazon. You could (in theory) have the worst hosting provider in the world and Amazon S3 will work for you.
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