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[Pro Sites] PayPal Sandbox configuration

Not sure if this is a bug, quirk, “by design” or just my confusion…

In Pro Sites dashboard –> Settings –> PayPal Express/Pro –> PayPal Mode

The drop-down has two choices: Live Site or Test Mode (Sandbox).

How is this supposed to work?

My initial expectation was that I choose the drop-down and then fill in the API values for that account type. So I could store API data for both and quickly switch between them. But it looks like once API values fill in, changing the value in the PayPal Mode drop-down list does not change the list of API values. Why is the drop-down there then? Does the plugin simply needs to know that I am using API values associated with a live account vs. a sandbox account? Will it do then different things; what/how?

BTW, it would be helpful if we had a way to store different account related API settings. I would see the need for at least three. One for the live account, and two for the two sandbox seller accounts I see PayPal makes available (for Website Payments Standard and for Website Payments Pro).

Please clarify how the drop-down is intended to work and maybe consider the feature request for storing multiple sets of API values.

Thanks!

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 18:06:41
  • DavidM
    • DEV MAN’s Mascot

    Hi Strategerizer,

    Pro Sites stores just a single set of credentials, as you’re seeing, and you can associate those credentials with either a Sandbox or Live account. You can only currently have one or the other selected, the plugin doesn’t stored them both individually, just one at a time.

    Typically though, you’d only need the Sandbox option during initial setup and would then switch to Live site and remain there after.

    We can have a look at allowing for more credentials to be added so it’s easy to switch between them, it’s just not been requested as yet as far as I’ve seen.

    Just to clarify though, the credentials between Sandbox and Live accounts are generally different, per the payments gateways used (ie. PayPal for instance requires a seperate setup for Sandbox accounts). Not sure if you’re already aware of that but figured I should mention just in case.

    Hope that answers your question, let me know if you still have questions on it.

    -David

  • Strategerizer
    • Site Builder, Child of Zeus

    I do have different APIs for the sandbox accounts and for the live account. I am still unclear why there is the PayPal Mode drop-down there then?

    If I enter the sandbox API credentials, the transaction would be processed by the sandbox. And if I enter the real API credentials, the transaction would be processed by my real PayPal account. Right? Why would I need to choose from the drop-down and identify which type of credentials I am using? Does Pro Sites plugin need to identify the transaction as being “sandbox” or “real” when it passes the transaction on to PayPal? Or to know which PayPal servers it needs to contact (e.g. http://developer.paypal.com for sandbox and http://www.paypal.com for the real account? Meaning that I need to make sure that the drop-down selection does match the type of API values I enter?

    Just want to make sure I understand this right.

  • Philip John
    • DEV MAN’s Apprentice

    Hiya,

    Just checking if it was eventually resolved in another thread? Or by yourself separately to us? Or by us over email with you? Or using our live support?

    If so, no need to reply, that’s great news.

    If not, could you let us know by re-opening this topic, and we’ll get onto it and helping you out asap!

    Otherwise, happy days, glad you got it sorted :slight_smile:

    Thanks!

    Phil