I have subscription plans A,B,C,D set up flat (all with parent - top), mutually exclusive with one subscription mandatory. I have another merchandise plan, Z, also at the top level but non-exclusive and non-mandatory. I have a publically accessible article which advertises the merchanise plan Z, from which I want a link to buy.

If I want to display just plan Z using a link of the form:
[code:1]index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=pluginclass&plugin=cbpaidsubscriptions&do=displayplans&plans=5[/code:1]
then there are several problems. Firstly, the plan is displayed on its own with the new user registration form, however this is a merchandise not subscription plan. Secondly, the user is able to complete the registration form with just plan Z present and checked, but when they press the "Register" button they get the following error in a dialog box:

Chosen plans combination is not allowed (you must choose coherent plans selection, e.g. mandatory subscription(s) must be active or mandatory plan(s) must be chosen). '' has mandatory options 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D' and none is selected.
Please press back button and select the subscription plan to which you would like to upgrade.

In this case the error seems reasonable, however:
(i) the registration form ought not to show with just a merchandise plan
(ii) if another plan (A,B,C or D) is required to allow purchase of the merchandise (Z), then they ought to show automatically, even though they've not been specified in the URL, with the registration form.

If all of the plans are instead linked explicitly or implicitly with either of the following URLs, then there's no problem for a non-registered user. All plans show and the user can select and pay as expected.

[code:1]index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=pluginclass&plugin=cbpaidsubscriptions&do=displayplans&plans=1-2-3-4-5
index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=pluginclass&plugin=cbpaidsubscriptions&do=displayplans[/code:1]

However, for a registered user with an active subscription to plan A, there's a different problem. With the explicit link to all plans (the former of the pair above) all the plans show, as expected, however plan B is pre-selected (unlike in the first case, above) and there's no way to deselect all of B,C,D. (There's already an active subscription to A.) So, once again the user cannot buy only merchandise plan Z in this case. If the implicit link to all plans (the latter of the pair above), the active subscription is marked and none of B,C,D is pre-selected: the user can choose just merchandise Z successfully.

So, there's a problem for users with active subscriptions where multiple plans are linked explicitly:
(iii) they should be presented and active subscriptions credited in the same manner as for the implicit link

It appears to be impossible to present only the merchandise plan Z to users already subscribed to A,B,C or D as to do so causes problematic behaviour for both unregistered users and those who are registered but with no active subscription. As a result, it appears that I have to implicitly show all plans, all of the time. That's not a great experience, but at least behaviour is predictable for the user.

Am I missing something? If not, could my points (i),(ii) and (iii) above be considered as change request for a future release please? Is there a known workaround or alternative configuration which would help please?

Regards,
Julian

J 1.5.20, CB 1.3, CBSubs 1.1

Post edited by: jhaines, at: 2010/12/03 18:51

Post edited by: krileon, at: 2010/12/09 20:42

Thanks for your swift response. To be clear, all of my plans A,B,C,D and Z are at the same (top) level. None of A,B,C or D is a parent of Z. A,B,C,D are mutually exclusive subscription plans. Z is a non-exclusive, non-mandatory merchandise plan.

It looks like I need to use the all-plans (implicit) link for the reasons I outlined below. Am I correct please?

Regards,
Julian

Although not really the presentation I wanted, that seems to work. Thanks!