unable to verify $_POST vars

I was hoping someone could tell me which things i need to check to
hopefully find the cause of this problem. I ran into the following
problem when attempting a paypal subscription:

ERROR: Unable to verify $_POST vars.
Please contact Support for assistance.

This is most likely related to an invalid configuration of s2Member,
or a problem with server compatibility. If you are the site owner, and
you're absolutely SURE that your configuration is valid, you may want
to run some tests on your server, just to be sure $_POST variables are
populated, and that your server is able to connect/communicate with
your Payment Gateway over an HTTPS connection.

s2Member uses the WP_Http class for remote connections; which will try
to use cURL first, and then fall back on the FOPEN method when cURL is
not available. On a Windows® server, you may have to disable your cURL
extension; and instead, set allow_url_fopen = yes in your php.ini
file. The cURL extension (usually) does NOT support SSL connections on
a Windows® server.

Please see this thread for details regarding the ideal server
configuration for s2Member

I did search arround to see what i could find about this, and based on
that tried to gather the kind of information needed to debug this kind
of thing:

• I ran the server scanner, aside from (possibly) increasing the
  memory allowance, everything else seemed to be good
• managed to find my way into the logs and grab some details from
  ‘paypal-rtn.log’
• grabbed a copy of the source on my Paypal button (in case it’s an
  invalid custom variable or something)

The Log:

PHP v5.3.23 :: WordPress® v3.4.2 :: s2Member® v130123 :: s2Member® Pro v130123
Memory 25.60 MB :: Real Memory 25.75 MB :: Peak Memory 25.69 MB ::
Real Peak Memory 25.75 MB
www.beercollector.com.au/?s2member_paypal_return=1&s2member_paypal_return_tra=fnIyOnRXdk1XUFRodWFCMW8zMnI5ZnFpRTJHWUtKb29XUnRqOjIyM2VjNTU1MzA2YTcxOWEzNDk3NWQyZDM1MjcxYjYwfBdgefKG0LOyR_YqrV_ZiVhV4hQcgsaw6A86LuKrT1ih9hjlkTaaXK0APlDzAfcrA59F2FXi4uZW16m0ZEAcbn_SUix9X8XYSpJSIyAt6X12ByWzVCtwRWOktyi9bgSrVmBn7Lkpizww6HkdGZR8x-_usoPIL6W2n2tKEXnhc4Ftr-oBnJU5mFJYuKbSOr5leXbaNpnQg8VJH39E17yYh-i8_gDAuKQlLsflKJXJoCXdPxAfytngnnn4x_WZbmsjuiJMbeNtRSnKjCb2i3bQB5f-FK80xF9rdZj45xrX2QBAYwtkHj1H675ht9YTwdtLVszXPKxICRihPd0mIXhbhON3BRXtQtiuQAPbKMz7IxUb4o3Bv4vop9tGTZy37m9GFw&tx=9X1414810L0487929&st=Completed&amt=1.00&cc=AUD&cm=www%2ebeercollector%2ecom%2eau&item_number=&sig=l9QYRJVjb6eQwJ6RBT%2f0%2fK7rtI5KdzzHaE5F0OFRh1mrnLv9xJzNl40gEP9i%2fTPAA0mtxOwqF2pnKBn8Q6ujhmUqfyqZ1oTgWeb%2fnG48HohfLRYLomc1GG0GuMPuUVgm7L%2f9MjsrRbQPpl2QXSy%2fcMgWNPvBmAeR5OISPa7wBNI%3d
User-Agent: Opera/9.80 (Windows NT 5.1; U; en) Presto/2.7.62 Version/11.01
array (
  's2member_log' =>
  array (
    0 => 'Unable to verify $_POST vars. This is most likely related to
an invalid configuration of s2Member, or a problem with server
compatibility.',
    1 => 'If you're absolutely SURE that your configuration is valid,
you may want to run some tests on your server, just to be sure $_POST
variables are populated, and that your server is able to
connect/communicate with your Payment Gateway over an HTTPS
connection.',
    2 => 's2Member uses the `WP_Http` class for remote connections;
which will try to use `cURL` first, and then fall back on the `FOPEN`
method when `cURL` is not available. On a Windows® server, you may
have to disable your `cURL` extension; and instead, set
`allow_url_fopen = yes` in your php.ini file. The `cURL` extension
(usually) does NOT support SSL connections on a Windows® server.',
    3 => 'Please see this thread:
`http://www.s2member.com/forums/topic/ideal-server-configuration-for-s2member/`
for details regarding the ideal server configuration for s2Member.',
    4 => 'array (
  's2member_paypal_return' => '1',
  's2member_paypal_return_tra' =>
'fnIyOnRXdk1XUFRodWFCMW8zMnI5ZnFpRTJHWUtKb29XUnRqOjIyM2VjNTU1MzA2YTcxOWEzNDk3NWQyZDM1MjcxYjYwfBdgefKG0LOyR_YqrV_ZiVhV4hQcgsaw6A86LuKrT1ih9hjlkTaaXK0APlDzAfcrA59F2FXi4uZW16m0ZEAcbn_SUix9X8XYSpJSIyAt6X12ByWzVCtwRWOktyi9bgSrVmBn7Lkpizww6HkdGZR8x-_usoPIL6W2n2tKEXnhc4Ftr-oBnJU5mFJYuKbSOr5leXbaNpnQg8VJH39E17yYh-i8_gDAuKQlLsflKJXJoCXdPxAfytngnnn4x_WZbmsjuiJMbeNtRSnKjCb2i3bQB5f-FK80xF9rdZj45xrX2QBAYwtkHj1H675ht9YTwdtLVszXPKxICRihPd0mIXhbhON3BRXtQtiuQAPbKMz7IxUb4o3Bv4vop9tGTZy37m9GFw',
  'tx' => '9X1414810L0487929',
  'st' => 'Completed',
  'amt' => '1.00',
  'cc' => 'AUD',
  'cm' => 'www.beercollector.com.au',
  'item_number' => '',
  'sig' => 'l9QYRJVjb6eQwJ6RBT/0/K7rtI5KdzzHaE5F0OFRh1mrnLv9xJzNl40gEP9i/TPAA0mtxOwqF2pnKBn8Q6ujhmUqfyqZ1oTgWeb/nG48HohfLRYLomc1GG0GuMPuUVgm7L/9MjsrRbQPpl2QXSy/cMgWNPvBmAeR5OISPa7wBNI=',
)',
    5 => 'Redirecting Customer to the Home Page, due to an error that
occurred.',
  ),
  's2member_paypal_return_tra' =>
'fnIyOnRXdk1XUFRodWFCMW8zMnI5ZnFpRTJHWUtKb29XUnRqOjIyM2VjNTU1MzA2YTcxOWEzNDk3NWQyZDM1MjcxYjYwfBdgefKG0LOyR_YqrV_ZiVhV4hQcgsaw6A86LuKrT1ih9hjlkTaaXK0APlDzAfcrA59F2FXi4uZW16m0ZEAcbn_SUix9X8XYSpJSIyAt6X12ByWzVCtwRWOktyi9bgSrVmBn7Lkpizww6HkdGZR8x-_usoPIL6W2n2tKEXnhc4Ftr-oBnJU5mFJYuKbSOr5leXbaNpnQg8VJH39E17yYh-i8_gDAuKQlLsflKJXJoCXdPxAfytngnnn4x_WZbmsjuiJMbeNtRSnKjCb2i3bQB5f-FK80xF9rdZj45xrX2QBAYwtkHj1H675ht9YTwdtLVszXPKxICRihPd0mIXhbhON3BRXtQtiuQAPbKMz7IxUb4o3Bv4vop9tGTZy37m9GFw',
)

The Form:

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
 
 
 <!-- Instant Payment Notification &amp; Return Page Details -->
 
 
 
 
 <!-- Configures Basic Checkout Fields -->
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <!-- Configures s2Member's Unique Invoice ID/Code  -->
 
 <!-- Identifies/Updates An Existing User/Member ( when/if applicable )  -->
 
 
 <!-- Identifies The Customer's IP Address For Tracking -->
 
 
 <!-- Controls Modify Behavior At PayPal® Checkout -->
 
 <!-- Customizes Prices, Payments &amp; Billing Cycle -->
 &lt;!----&gt;
 
 
 
 &lt;!----&gt;
 &lt;!----&gt;
 &lt;!----&gt;
 
 
 
 <!-- Displays The PayPal® Image Button -->
 
</form>

This Knowledge Base Article goes over this error. Can you try out the solutions put forth here first please?

See: Knowledge Base » Unable to Verify $_POST Vars Error

I did most of this first:

I ran the server scanner, aside from (possibly) increasing the memory allowance, everything else seemed to be good

But went over the shortcode again with a fine-tooth comb… just in case. All of the codes looked to have acceptable values, there were however 3 shortcodes it didn’t have defined, but i assumed that was okay since they are cancel, sp and exp.

Here it is anyway, in case i misread something:

[s2Member-PayPal-Button level="1" ccaps="" desc="1 x 6-packs per month ($42.00 + P&H)" ps="paypal" lc="" cc="AUD" dg="0" ns="1" custom="www.beercollector.com.au" ta="0" tp="0" tt="D" ra="42" rp="1" rt="M" rr="1" rrt="" rra="1" image="default" output="button" /]

Your shortcode’s custom attribute looks correct. We’ll need to see all of your logs to check out what PayPal is actually sending back to your site. Could you send us a Dashboard login to your site so we can check your logs out? You can send the information here:

s2Member® » Private Contact Form

Hi, this is one of the other people developing content on beercollector(dot)com(dot)au for this user… He hasn’t gotten back to us wether he has sent you dashboard login details, or wether we are allowed to give them to you… Is there any chance you can tell us which log files you need and where they are located?

If you can tell us what you need and how to get at it i will gladly post that information here and i’ll do so shortly, otherwise I’m not sure how much longer we will have to wait before you are given login details

Is there any chance you can tell us which log files you need and where they are located?

Sure. You can download your logs here:

Dashboard -› s2Member® -› Log Files (Debug)

i can’t find that submenu… i think those directions are for the newer version, and we are using version 130123

Thanks for running the server scanner. Another thing that’d cause the POST vars error would be an error in the PayPal credentials you entered in s2Member. Could you please verify that they are all correct? [hilite path]Dashboard -› s2Member® -› PayPal® Options[/hilite]

Please read this article and follow the advice given, most of the time it helps resolve the problem or identify the source: Knowledge Base » Common Troubleshooting Tips

About the logs, yes, that admin page was added in a more recent release than the one you have. It’d be best to update your installation to rule out the possibility of having your problem due to something that was wrong before and is now fixed in the current release.

Common Troubleshooting Tips

• Conflicting Plugins
  Just then disabled all plugins except S2Member, tried a subscription, we still get the same problem.

• Conflicting Theme
  Not a visual problem, so not likely

• Server Configuration
  Already ran the server-scanner, so i think this one is ruled out.

• Outdated Installation
  This one is possible, but since i’m a developer, not the site’s owner, i’d need to get permission and then back up EVERYTHING before i even try it

• Corrupt or Missing Files
  I Believe you’d need to look at the logs to diagnose this.

• User Error
  I Believe you’d need to look at the logs to diagnose this also.

• Finally, PayPal credentials:
  Once again, since i’m a developer, not the site’s owner, i’d need to get permission and the login details to check this.

In Short: I’ve checked what i can immediately, and until i can get the owner to do one or two things, the only thing left for me to do is give you the log information. Which log file(s) do you need?

I just updated to the latest version of WordPress, S2Member and S2Member Pro… problem still occurs

As a developer I still haven’t been given permission to give you a user name and password to access the site… is there any way i can send you guys a saved copy of the logs without doing do? (They are required fields on your ‘Private Contact Form’)

Okay, I’ll wait for you to confirm that the PayPal credentials are all correct. If the credentials don’t solve the problem, I will need you to submit the site’s login info so I can take a look and try to find the cause of the problem, but I understand you need to get permission for that first, as well. I’ll wait for your update.

The payments are going through, does that not mean the site has the right credentials? Or are you referring to other settings like the API key and others?

If the payments don’t mean the credentials are correct then We need to know exactly which things to check (and possibly how) since I haven’t done any of their Paypal setup, and might need to get the website owner to do the actual confirmation, so i would appreciate being linked to a walkthrough

An incorrect PDT Token can cause the POST vars error. [hilite path]Dashboard -› s2Member® -› PayPal® Options -› PayPal® PDT Integration[/hilite]