Happened across this thread and thought I'd give an update on progress on the New Zealand Post API. To be honest things have been moving much slower than I expected after we rushed the example google gadget and rough API out the door (which were intended to help explain the concept to key people within NZ Post). There has been a lot of politics involved - but we do now a have things in place to make some progress. I'm going to stop short of stating any dates as my "next few months" statement seemed more than reasonable at the time given the work involved. That said, I am committed to doing this (I strongly believe giving communities like this some tools to work with is the way to go) - and my expectation is that we will have something out before xmas.
I'd be interested in any advice/guidance about how we could make the API most useful. Is the equivalent of the USPS service what is called for (what's good about that service - and what could be better?). Again (covering myself) I can't promise all suggestions will be implemented - but we'd be mad not to listen to those we're trying to enable. cheers, Rob On Jul 23, 10:52 am, Super Steve <[email protected]> wrote: > Well, Jonathan, it looks like you got further than me! > > I too emailed NZ Post and got a reply back saying that my message will > be passed on to someone else, but so far I haven't received anything > more. > > A Rate Finder API would be great. I see that the US Post Office > already has one going, > seehttp://www.usps.com/webtools/htm/Rate-Calculators-v2-3.htm > > Unfortunately this will come too late for my client who needs to > update their website NOW due to the rate changes that came into affect > on the 7th of July. > > I'm still hopeful that NZ Post will provide me with the formula they > use, which seems to be buried within an ASP.NET page. > > On Jul 22, 11:53 am, [email protected] wrote: > > > Following this thread, I emailed NZ Post to see if they have an API > > available. > > > Good news, though progress seems somewhat slow: "We are working on a Rate > > Finder API which will allow you to supply the dimensions and weight of a > > package and get sending options back. > > > You can see our first efforts in this space here (the proper API will be > > in REST > > format):http://www.nzpost.co.nz/NZPost/Services/Ratefinder.aspx?t=200&h=100&l... > > > and a Google Gadget which uses this basic API > > here:http://www.nzpost.co.nz/ratefindergadget > > > Unfortunately we cannot offer you anything at this time which caters for > > international rates - but we will be making a full Rate Finder API > > available very soon (we already have a Track and Trace API in beta - due > > for release in the next couple of months). > > > If you would like to be part of the Track and Trace beta test group > > (and/or the Rate Finder beta test group) please contact Rob Holmes > > directly at: rob dot holmes at nzpost dot co dot nz" > > > I've emailed Rob Holmes to get involved in the beta programme. > > > Docs from the Google gadget thread (first comment): > > > "Note: The Rate Finder gadget uses a new Rate Finder API (also in beta). > > It exposes just three methods at this stage, and we reserve the right to > > "turn it off" at any time (unlikely, but possible). We are keen to hear > > your feedback and suggestions for the API as well as just the gadget > > (including requests for API documentation). You can see the API calls in > > action if you "view source" for the gadget - link on the right of this > > page. Examples calls are: > > 1)http://www.nzpost.co.nz/NZPost/Services/Ratefinder.aspx?GetLocations=... > > 2)http://www.nzpost.co.nz/NZPost/Services/Ratefinder.aspx?GetLocations=... > > 3)http://www.nzpost.co.nz/NZPost/Services/Ratefinder.aspx?t=200&h=100&l..."; > > > Regards > > Jonathan > > > --- > > On 15/07/2009, at 11:41 AM, Nathan Kennedy wrote: > > Hmmm. I sense a good opportunity for a third party community driven wrapper > > for NZ Post rate calculator, rather than lots of individual developers doing > > the same work to achieve the same goal. > > > You never know, it could end up that NZ Post decide to implement it in the > > end - who knows. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > > > Of Jochen Daum > > Sent: Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:15 a.m. > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [phpug] Re: Calculating Freight Charges With NZ Post > > > Hi, > > > On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 11:10 AM, Super Steve<[email protected]> wrote: > > > Thanks for the suggestion, Jochen. > > > When I originally set up this client's website I looked at the NZ Post > > website and saw that their Rate Finder was all done in JavaScript, so > > I reverse-engineered it and re-coded it in PHP. But then they changed > > it to Flash which made it a bit harder to see what was going on > > inside... > > > I would have thought that this is such a common thing to need that NZ > > Post would already have a service in place, but I guess not. > > > No competition, no service necessary to get customers. Where else > > would you go I guess. > > > You can find out what is happening pretty easily by using Firebugs Net > > tab, Wireshark or Fiddler. > > > HTH, Jochen > > > Jonathan Hunthttp://huntdesign.co.nz > > +64 21 529 250 > > PO Box 1062, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ NZ PHP Users Group: http://groups.google.com/group/nzphpug To post, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
