Google Checkout - Internal server error while requesting a notification history update

Question

I'm using googlerequest object to retrieve notification data for a certain serial-number in sandbox environment.

POST argument (xml) I send to google:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><notification-history-request xmlns="http://checkout.google.com/schema/2"><serial-number>631274667786221-00005-6</serial-number></notification-history-request>

Response from curl:

HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error
Content-Type: application/xml; charset=UTF-8
Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:28:57 GMT
Expires: Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:28:57 GMT
Cache-Control: private, max-age=0
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN
X-XSS-Protection: 1; mode=block
Set-Cookie: S=payments_api=P4yzgVwZyqdAb7S_BUtJXw; Expires=Mon, 03-Jun-2013 12:58:57 GMT; Path=/; Secure; HttpOnly
Server: GSE
Transfer-Encoding: chunked

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<error xmlns="http://checkout.google.com/schema/2" serial-number="f9338a0b-b14a-4afc-956b-5618b9741245">
  <error-message>Internal error in server</error-message>
</error>

Answer 1

Can't answer for Google but it seems Google Checkout sandbox seems to have been shutdown / deprecated (already). This is my guess/perception as I cannot login to my Google Checkout sandbox which was at https://sandbox.gogle.com/checkout/sell for sandbox related activity like integration settings, debug console, etc.

I do see that the former sandbox Merchant center is accessible at: https://wallet-web.sandbox.google.com/manage So you can check sandbox orders (across different APIs) but as stated, it doesn't have the knobs/switches relevant to Google Checkout (other APIs have different "consoles" for API settings).

I don't know why (if it's early deprecation)...perhaps it's late in the game as it pertains to Google Checkout retirement to start debugging now....

See Google Checkout deprecation/retirement in November 2013 announcement and more info.

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Update

Q: issue happens when I set the following options and send them via curl(): $options['shopping-cart.buyer-messages.include-gift-receipt-1'] = 1; $options['shopping-cart.buyer-messages.special-instructions-1'] = '';

You mean in the initial Checkout POST you sent to Google? If so, that instruction tells Google to offer those screens at the Google Checkout web site (not yours). I believe you shouldn't provide values for one field only - you'll have to provide all fields if you want to pre-populate from your web site.

Sorry, really tough to debug without Integration Console (which was part of the original Google Checkout console/UI in both sandbox and production) - which likely would have shown more error detail....