How You Interpret Error Codes

When a customer attempts to log in using pass-through authentication, there are a number of factors that can cause login failure, including an invalid user name or password, a duplicate email address in the database, and problems with the PTA string.

To help you debug login errors or provide informational messages, customers can be redirected to a custom page displaying an error code and session information when an error occurs.

The URL of the page where customers are redirected is specified in the PTA_ERROR_URL configuration setting. To display an error code, the URL must be appended with the %error_code% variable. Session information can be provided in the form of a base64-encoded string if the %session% variable is also appended. Session information displays only if login tracking cookies are disabled on the customer’s computer.

Note: The PTA_ERROR_URL configuration setting is blank by default. If you do not specify a value for the setting, customers are redirected to the URL in the PTA_EXTERNAL_LOGIN_URL configuration setting when a login error occurs. If you choose not to use PTA_ERROR_URL, you can append the %error_code% and %session% variables to the end of the URL specified in PTA_EXTERNAL_LOGIN_URL. See How You Define the External Login Page.

For example, assume that you set the configuration setting value to:

http://your_site/my_login_error_page.php/%error_code%

If login fails because the password exceeds the 20-character limit, the URL that is returned is:

http://your_site/login/nextPage/home/error/15

The error code, 15 in this example, lets you know what caused the failure.

The table describes error codes found in the URL. These codes are the same whether the %error_code% variable is used in the PTA_ERROR_URL or the PTA_EXTERNAL_LOGIN_URL configuration setting.

Table 1. Error Code Descriptions

Error Code	Description
1	The PTA string parameter was not found. This parameter contains all of the encoded PTA information in the URL, so it must be present to log in.
2	PTA information after pre_pta_decode hook was not in the correct format. A string or an array was expected, but something else was received.
3	PTA string could not be Base 64 decoded. There was an error within the string that caused the decoding process to fail.
4	One of the PTA string parameters was not well formed. For example, it did not contain “p_” or was missing an “=” separator between the key and value.
5	The p_userid string was passed in, but it did not have a value. This pair is required for login.
6	The value of the p_li_passwd pair was incorrect. This error applies only if no value is set for the PTA_ENCRYPTION_METHOD configuration setting.
7	The specified credentials were invalid.
8	Login failed because PTA is not enabled for the interface.
9	Data decryption failed.
10	Login failed because PTA_ENCRYPTION_METHOD does not contain a valid value.
11	Login failed because the PTA_ENCRYPTION_PADDING configuration setting does not contain a valid value.
12	Login failed because the PTA_ENCRYPTION_KEYGEN configuration setting does not contain a valid value.
13	Login failed because the PTA_IGNORE_CONTACT_PASSWORD configuration setting is enabled, but no encryption scheme has been set in PTA_ENCRYPTION_METHOD.
14	Login failed because the format of the data after the pre_pta_convert hook was not an array.
15	Login failed because the password exceeded the 20-character maximum length.
16	Login failed because the PTA token expired and is no longer valid. A new token must be generated to authenticate the customer.
17	Login failed because two or more email addresses have the same value.