JR54737: Enable customization of promotion code error messages on store front.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When shoppers enter promotion codes which have already been
  redeemed, marked for delete, rejected or cannot yet be released
  (if the WaitingPeriodForUniqueCodeRelease property is
  configured), the storefront displays a general error indicating
  that the "The promotion code is invalid."
  
  This APAR allows for the ability to change the error messages
  independently for these situations through customization.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• USERS AFFECTED:
  WebSphere Commerce users on v7.0 and v8.0 who use promotions
  with promotion codes.
  
  PROBLEM ABSTRACT:
  Enable customization of promotion code error messages on store
  front.
  
  BUSINESS IMPACT:
  Shoppers may see a vague invalid code error message when adding
  a promotion code to their order. This could result in the
  customers abandoning their order due to lack of promotions.
  
  RECOMMENDATION:
  

Problem conclusion

• To customize error messages related to invalid promotion codes
  at the store front, two new classes were introduced to return
  specific ECApplicationException objects.
  
  The new classes introduced in this enhancement are:
  
  1. PromotionExceptionHandler
  2. DefaultPromotionExceptionHandler
  
  PromotionExceptionHandler is an interface which defines the
  method getPromotionCodeException(). getPromotionCodeException
  determines which ECApplicationException object is the correct
  one to throw. It takes two parameters:
  1. cause - value indicating the cause of the exception
  2. params - a HashMap of parameters available at the time this
  method was called. The HashMap allows flexibility for passing in
   any number of parameters. By default, the violating
  PromotionCode must be passed in with
  key=PromotionExceptionHandler.PARAMETER_KEY_PROMOTION_CODE.
  
  A sample call of getPromotionCodeException is provided as
  follws:
   params.put(PromotionExceptionHander.PARAMETER_KEY_PROMOTION_COD
  E, "CODE123");
   getPromotionCodeException(PromotionExceptionHander.EXCEPTION_CA
  USE_PROMOTION_CODE_REDEEMED, params);
  
  
  DefaultPromotionExceptionHandler is the implementing class of
  PromotionExceptionHandler. It implements
  getPromotionCodeException, as well as defines additional methods
   to return specific ECApplicationExceptions (i.e. the method
  getPromotionCodeExceptionRedeemed returns the
  ECApplicationException for when the promotion code entered has
  already been redeemed). getPromotionCodeException() works by
  returning the result of these ECApplicationException methods.
  
  ================================================================
  
  Steps for implementing the customization:
  
  1. Create a custom class ExtDefaultPromotionExceptionHandler
  extending DefaultPromotionExceptionHandler. Override any of the
  desired methods.
  
  The customization is currently available for:
  -Promotion codes that have already been redeemed
   override getPromotionCodeExceptionRedeemed()
  -Promotion codes that have been marked as deleted
   override getPromotionCodeExceptionDeleted()
  -Promotion codes that have been marked as rejected
   override getPromotionCodeExceptionRejected()
  -Error caused by unreleased promotion codes
   override getPromotionCodeExceptionUnreleaseable()
  
  
  2. (if neccessary) create a new string in
  storeErrorMessages.properties and all other resource bundles in
  use.
  
  ERR_PROMOTION_CODE_CUSTOM.-xxxx=Custom string displaying to the
  store front
  
  where -xxxx is a negative and unique four-digit code.
  
  create a corresponding string in
  WcPromotionUserMessages.properties and all other resource
  bundles in use.
  
  ERR_PROMOTION_CODE_CUSTOM=Custom string displaying to the store
  front
  
  3. in WCSPromotionEngineConfig.xml configure the promotion
  engine to implement your custom class.
  
   <PromotionExceptionHandler
  impl="com.mycompany.custom.ExtDefaultPromotionExceptionHandler"/
  >
  
  4. restart the server
  
  ================================================================
  Hints:
  
  1) Forming the ECApplicationException objects within the
  overriding methods:
  
   ECMessage errorMessage =
  MyCustomMessageConstants.ECMESSAGE_ERR_PROMOTION_CODE_CUSTOM;
   String errorCode =
  String.valueOf(MyCustomMessageConstants.ERR_MAJ_PROMOTION_CODE_C
  USTOM);
   String code =
  (String)params.get(PromotionExceptionCentral.PARAMETER_KEY_PROMO
  TION_CODE);
  
   TypedProperty hshNVPs = new TypedProperty();
   hshNVPs.put(ECConstants.EC_ERROR_CODE,errorCode);
   ECApplicationException e = new ECApplicationException(
    errorMessage, CLASSNAME, METHODNAME,
    new Object[]{code},
    hshNVPs);
  
  2) Define the above constants as a separate class
  MyCustomMessageConstants for example:
  
   public static final ECMessage
  ECMESSAGE_ERR_PROMOTION_CODE_CUSTOM =
     new ECMessage(
      ECMessageSeverity.ERROR,
      ECMessageType.USER,
      "ERR_PROMOTION_CODE_CUSTOM",
      WcPromotionMessage.USER_RESOURCE_BUNDLE);
  
   public static final int ERR_MAJ_PROMOTION_CODE_CUSTOM = -xxxx;
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  WC BUS EDITION

• Fixed component ID

  5724I3800

Applicable component levels

• R700 PSY

     UP