Problem creating a non recurring subscription: Paypal bug?

I've contacted Paypal after running into this issue.
Even if it is not clearly stated on Paypal's site, Paypal does not handle non recurring subscriptions the way we could expect.
As there's only one payment, it considers that its job is done and send "subscr_eot" immediatly.
The only way I found to handle non recurring subscriptions was to modify lm_paypal's code so that non recurring subscriptions are traited as one-click/donate payments.
Doing so, "subscr_eot" is never sent by Paypal. So I had to add some code so that lm_paypal checks itself whether a subscription has ended or not each time cron runs.

I've changed so much stuff that I'm not sure I can explain it easily but I can post some code so that you can try:
In lm_paypal.module, add 1 line:

<?php
/**
 * Process a newly arrived web_accept IPN message
 *
 * @param $ipn
 */
function lm_paypal_process_in_web_accept($ipn) {
  _lm_paypal_ini();
  global $_lm_paypal_debug;

  if ($_lm_paypal_debug) {
    watchdog(LM_PAYPAL, 'in_web_accept');
  }

  return lm_paypal_process_in_subscr($ipn); // Add this line here



  $link = l(t('view'), "admin/settings/lm_paypal/id/$ipn->id");
?>

In lm_paypal_subscriptions.module, change lm_paypal_subscribe this way:

<?php

    /*
    if ($so->return_url != '') {
      $ret_url = $so->return_url;
    }
    else {
      $ret_url = $_lm_paypal_subscriptions_inprogress;
    }
    */
    $ret_url = $_GET['q']; // Henri
    if (variable_get('clean_url', 0)) {
      $return_url = url(check_url($ret_url), array('query' => NULL, 'fragment' => NULL, 'absolute' => TRUE));
    }
    else {
      $return_url = url(NULL, array('query' => 'q='. check_url($ret_url), 'fragment' => NULL, 'absolute' => TRUE));
    }
    $notify_url = url('lm_paypal/ipn', array('query' => NULL, 'fragment' => NULL, 'absolute' => TRUE));
    $biz = check_plain($_lm_paypal_business);
    $so->item_name = check_plain($so->item_name);

    // Output a form that will redirect the user to PayPal - note all the fields
    // are hidden so only the submit appears

    // Henri
    if ($so->kind == 0 || $so->kind == 2) {
      $custom = $user->uid;
    }
    if ($so->kind == 1) {
      $custom = ($nid << 16) | ($user->uid & 0xFFFF);
    }
    $currency_code = ($so->currency_code) ? $so->currency_code : 'EUR';

    $form  = '<form id="lm_paypal_form" action="https://'.$_lm_paypal_host.'/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"><div>'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="business" value="'.$biz.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="'.t($so->item_name).'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="item_number" value="'.$so->subid.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="amount" value="'.$so->a3.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="return" value="'.$return_url.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="cancel_return" value="'.$return_url.'" />'."\n";
  //$form .= '<input type="hidden" name="invoice" value="invoicenumber" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="no_shipping" value="1" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="1" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="quantity" value="1" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="notify_url" value="'.$notify_url.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="'.$currency_code.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="hidden" name="custom" value="'.$custom.'" />'."\n";
    $form .= '<input type="image" class="image" src="'.$button_url.'" name="submit" alt="Paypal" title="'.check_plain(t('Subscribe')).'"/>'."\n";
    $form .= '</div></form>'."\n";

    $output .= $form;
    return $output;
  }
?>

Change this too:

<?php
/**
 * Process a newly arrived subscription IPN message
 *
 * @param $ipn
 *   The IPN containing a subscription message.
 */
function lm_paypal_process_in_subscr($ipn) {
  _lm_paypal_subscriptions_ini();
  global $_lm_paypal_debug;

  if ($_lm_paypal_debug) {
    watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'in_subscr', NULL);
  }

  $link = l(t('view'), "admin/settings/lm_paypal/id/$ipn->id");

  if ($ipn->payment_status == 'Pending') {
    watchdog(
      LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS,
      'Ignoring IPN with status: Pending. Check your PayPal account to see why it is pending. Note: pending_reason: %reason',
      array('%reason' => check_plain($ipn->pending_reason)),
      WATCHDOG_ERROR,
      $link);
    return;
  }

  if ($ipn->item_number == '' || !is_numeric($ipn->item_number) ||
      $ipn->custom == '' || !is_numeric($ipn->custom)) {
    watchdog(
      LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS,
      'Subscription ipn invalid item_number or custom (item_number %item_number, custom %custom)',
      array('%item_number' => check_plain($ipn->item_number), '%custom' => check_plain($ipn->custom)),
      WATCHDOG_ERROR,
      $link);
    return;
  }

  $subid = $ipn->item_number;
  $custom = $ipn->custom;

  $uid = $custom & 0xFFFF;
  $other = ($custom >> 16) & 0xFFFF;
  $nid = $other; // This is usually true and doesn't hurt otherwise
  // Useful string to add to node related subscription related emails
  $node = t(" on node !nid", array("!nid" => $nid));

  // Look up the subscription
  $r = db_query("SELECT * FROM {lm_paypal_subscriptions} WHERE subid = %d AND status = 1", $subid);
  $so = db_fetch_object($r);
  if (! $so) {
    watchdog(
      LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS,
      'IPN uses unknown or defunct subscription, ignored: %subid',
      array('%subid' => $subid),
      WATCHDOG_ERROR,
      $link);
    return;
  }

  // Is this uid valid?
  $users = db_query("SELECT * FROM {users} WHERE uid = %d", $uid);
  if (!db_result($users)) {
    watchdog(
      LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS,
      'IPN subscribing unknown uid, ignored: %uid',
      array('%uid' => $uid),
      WATCHDOG_ERROR,
      $link);
    return;
  }

  //if ($ipn->txn_type == 'subscr_signup') {
  if ($ipn->txn_type == 'web_accept') {
    // Note: a signup doesn't have a transaction id!

    if (!_lm_paypal_subscriptions_validate($ipn, $so, $link)) {
      return;
    }

    // Is this an existing subscription (sometimes payments come before
    // signups so this is possible).
    $subs = db_query("SELECT * FROM {lm_paypal_subscribers} WHERE subscr_id = '%s'", $ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/);
    $ss = db_fetch_object($subs);

    if (!$ss) {
      // Try and track problem maybe caused by multiple subscr_signups
      watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'new subscr_signup subscr_id %sid', array('%sid' => $ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/));
      // Not already present.
      // Create an entry in the subscribers table.
      lm_paypal_add_subscriber($so->kind, $uid, $other, $subid, $ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/, LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_SIGNEDUP);
    }
    else {
      // Try and track problem maybe caused by multiple subscr_signups
      watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'repeat subscr_signup subscr_id %sid', array('%sid' => $ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/));
      // It is already present

      switch ($ss->status) {
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_BLOCKED:
          watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Attempt to signup to blocked subscription, ignored', NULL, WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
          return;

        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_DEAD:
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_CANCELLED:
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_EOT:
          watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Attempt to signup to ended subscription, ignored %status', array('%status' => $ss->status), WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
          return;

        // Some users are reporting symptoms that suggest multiple
        // subscr_signup's are arriving. Ignore the duplicates here.
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_LIVE:
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_SIGNEDUP:
          watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Signup received but subscription live or signedup, ignoring', NULL, WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
          return;

        // A payment arrived first. Now obey the signup
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_PAID:
          watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, t('Signup received after payment, obeying it anyway'));
          break;
      }
    }

    // A signup alone is enough to go live. A payment IPN may not arrive at all
    // if the subscription amount is zero (usually a trial period)
    lm_paypal_subscriber_set_status($ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/, LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_LIVE);

    if ($so->kind == 0) {
      lm_paypal_user_gain_role($uid, $so->rid);
    }
    else if ($so->kind == 2) {
      lm_paypal_user_gain_group($uid, $so->rid);
    }

    if ($so->send_admin_onsub && is_numeric($so->uid_admin)) {
      // Email admin to let them know of a new subscriber
      //  note: t() will be called inside lm_paypal_mail_user
      // Extra variables (in addition to the default ones provided)
      if ($so->kind == 0 || $so->kind == 2) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%Node' => '');
      }
      else if ($so->kind == 1) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%Node' => $node);
      }
      lm_paypal_mail_user(
        $so->uid_admin,
        $uid,
        LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_SEND_ADMIN_ONSUB_SUBJECT,
        LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_SEND_ADMIN_ONSUB_BODY,
        $variables);
    }

    if ($so->send_user_onsub) {
      // Email user to confirm a new subscriber
      //  note: t() will be called inside lm_paypal_mail_user
      // Extra variables (in addition to the default ones provided)
      if ($so->kind == 0 || $so->kind == 2) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => t($so->item_name), '%Node' => '');
      }
      else if ($so->kind == 1) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%Node' => $node);
      }
      lm_paypal_mail_user($uid, $uid, $so->send_user_onsub_subject, $so->send_user_onsub_body, $variables);
    }

    return;
  }

  //else if ($ipn->txn_type == 'subscr_payment' && $ipn->payment_status == 'Completed') {
  if ($ipn->payment_status == 'Completed') {

    if (lm_paypal_already_processed($ipn->txn_id)) {
      watchdog(
        LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS,
        'This transaction has already been processed, ignored: %id',
        array('%id' => check_plain($ipn->txn_id)),
        WATCHDOG_WARNING,
        $link);
      return;
    }

    // This should be an existing subscription (but sometimes payments come
    // before signups).
    $subs = db_query("SELECT * FROM {lm_paypal_subscribers} WHERE subscr_id = '%s'", $ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/);
    $ss = db_fetch_object($subs);

    if (!$ss) {
      // Not already present.
      // Create an entry in the subscribers table.
      lm_paypal_add_subscriber($so->kind, $uid, $other, $subid, $ipn->txn_id/*subscr_id*/, LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_PAID);
    }
    else {
      // It is already present
      switch ($ss->status) {
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_BLOCKED:
          watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Attempt to pay to blocked subscription, ignored', NULL, WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
          break;

        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_DEAD:
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_CANCELLED:
        case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_EOT:
          watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Attempt to pay ended subscription, ignored %status', array('%status' => $ss->status), WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
          break;
      }
    }

    lm_paypal_mark_processed($ipn);

    return;
  }
  /*
  else if ($ipn->txn_type == 'subscr_cancel' || $ipn->txn_type == 'subscr_eot') {
    // Note: Cancel's dont get a transaction id!
    $end = check_plain(substr($ipn->txn_type, 7));
    if ($_lm_paypal_debug) {
      watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'User ending subscription (uid %uid, subid %subid, type %type)', array('%uid' => $uid, '%subid' => $subid, '%end' => $end));
    }

    // Check I know this subscr_id
    $subs = db_query("SELECT * FROM {lm_paypal_subscribers} WHERE subscr_id = '%s'", $ipn->subscr_id);
    $ss = db_fetch_object($subs);
    if (!$ss) {
      watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Unable to fetch the subscriber object', NULL, WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
      // Maybe its a temporary error? Reject this and when PayPal retries
      // it might work!
      drupal_set_header('HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found');
      return;
    }

    switch ($ss->status) {
      case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_BLOCKED:
        watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Attempt to end to blocked subscription, ignored', NULL, WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
        return;

      case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_DEAD:
      case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_CANCELLED:
      case LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_EOT:
        watchdog(LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS, 'Attempt to end ended subscription, ignored %status', array('%status' => $ss->status), WATCHDOG_ERROR, $link);
        return;
    }

    // Mark the subscription ended
    $status = ($end == 'eot' ? LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_EOT : LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_STATUS_CANCEL);
    lm_paypal_subscriber_set_status($ipn->subscr_id, $status);

    if ($so->kind == 0) {
      lm_paypal_user_loose_role($uid, $so->rid);
    }
    else if ($so->kind == 2) {
      lm_paypal_user_loose_group($uid, $so->rid);
    }

    if ($so->send_admin_onend && is_numeric($so->uid_admin)) {
      // Email admin to let them know of an eot or cancellation
      //  note: t() will be called inside lm_paypal_mail_user
      // Extra variables (in addition to the default ones provided)
      if ($so->kind == 0 || $so->kind == 2) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%End' => $end, '%Node' => '');
      }
      else if ($so->kind == 1) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%End' => $end, '%Node' => $node);
      }
      lm_paypal_mail_user(
        $so->uid_admin,
        $uid,
        LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_SEND_ADMIN_ONEND_SUBJECT,
        LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS_SEND_ADMIN_ONEND_BODY,
        $variables);
    }

    if ($so->send_user_onend) {
      // Email user to confirm an eot or cancellation
      //  note: t() will be called inside lm_paypal_mail_user
      // Extra variables (in addition to the default ones provided)
      if ($so->kind == 0 || $so->kind == 2) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%End' => $end, '%Node' => '');
      }
      else if ($so->kind == 1) {
        $variables = array('%Subscription' => $so->item_name, '%End' => $end, '%Node' => $node);
      }
      lm_paypal_mail_user($uid, $uid, $so->send_user_onend_subject, $so->send_user_onend_body, $variables);
    }

    return;
  }
  */

  watchdog(
    LM_PAYPAL_SUBSCRIPTIONS,
    'Ignoring invalid, unrecognised, or pending subscription ipn type: %type',
    array('%type' => check_plain($ipn->txn_type)),
    WATCHDOG_ERROR,
    $link);
  return;
}
?>

It might not be enough but try it.

Hi PDJ,

You fix should work too.
The difference with mine is that you still handle non recurring subscriptions as subscriptions whereas I handle them as one-click payments.
Why ?
Because subscriptions force users to create a Paypal account even if they want to pay directly using their credit cards.
Many users don't like having to create a Paypal account.
That's why I have switched to one-click payment.

I think there's so much to rewrite that a patch might not be easy to make, but I will try when I have more time.

Hi cfab!
Yes having a Paypal account is mandatory when using subscriptions (so that Paypal can rebill each cycle).
The (undocumented) problem with non recurrent subscriptions is that at the same time:
- Paypal still asks to create an account although there won't be any rebill => This way, Paypal treats a non recurrent payment like a recurrent payment.
- Paypal sends eot immediatly after payment => This way, Paypal treats a recurrent payment differently from a recurrent payment
So Paypal does not act consistently when dealing with non recurrent payments.

@tanoshimi
one-click and donate payments are the same in Paypal.

Nice contribution arturoramos.
My solution is an ugly hack that works only for the purpose it was made for.
What would be great now would be to repack all the patches of this thread into the dev version.
But according to #18 it might be already in it.
I haven't had time to test it so far...