What can Brown do for me? How about a provide an easy to use service?

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Posted in Development | Posted on 12-11-2006 | 3,319 views

So over on cf-talk there is a thread going on about working with the UPS API. It is something I've wanted to try myself for a while now. But get this. To actually use the API you have to:

1) Register. (No big deal there.)

2) Open a UPS account (um, didn't I just do that?). In this step you have to tell them how many packages you ship (um, none) and also provide a credit card. Will I be charged? Gee I hope not. This gives you a UPS Account number.

3) Think you are ready? Hah! The UPS Account number isn't what you really need. What you need is the Developer's Key. I requested that my key be sent to me.

4) But wait, theres more! Did you think a UPS account number and a Developer's Key was all you needed? Silly rabbit. You also need an XML Key!

Seriously, Brown, does this seem right to you? I mean - all these tools help folks buy stuff from you. Did I really need 3 separate numbers and my credit card just to use your web services? I understand making me register. It is a useful way to ensure folks don't abuse your web services. But come on!

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Scott Johnson said on 12-11-2006 at 5:20 PM #
	Ray, I'm currently working on using the UPS api with cf, it definitely is a huge hassle to get started. I've used fedex's api before, and its a lot easier to get going with them. If you ever get all your keys and codes, let us know what you come up with.

Dan said on 12-11-2006 at 6:23 PM #
	Like you stated, it is really amazing to me that this process has been so hard & why they do not have a developer account like most companies. Imagine If Adobe said we released some new features in CF8, try to figure out what they are!

Rob Rawlins said on 12-12-2006 at 5:56 AM #

Fantastic coincidence that you should blog about this Ray, as with Scott, I've just started to venture into expanding my shopping cart app to deal with the UPS Api, and its proving to be more work than nececary.

Even once the little monsters give you all the details you need, that only gives you access to certain services, and you have to apply for further keys for any additional services, amazing.

Then, once you're up and running you have to start looking into how thier services work, its all XML based, so you have to pass XML into thier service and it'll post back your details, what a mess ... we really should clean up brown with some nice SOAP, it'd be a much cleaner method :-)

Rob

Sam said on 12-12-2006 at 10:05 AM #
	My goodness! It's glad to know I'm not stupid (well, not because of this anyway). UPS is the ONE company where I've ever had to converse with tech support to use a website. I don't know how long it took me to find the instructions on the API. I mean, just some simple documentation!