User Guide

Button Manager NVP API April 2012 15
2
Using the Button Manager API
With NVP
These examples show basic Button Manager API capabilities. The examples show how to
create buttons and set inventory levels.
 Specifying HTML Variables
 Creating a Button Using NVP
 Offering Multiple Payment Option Subscriptions Using NVP
 Offering Installment Plans Using NVP
 Offering Automatic Billing Using NVP
 Tracking Inventory for Menu Items Using NVP
 Using the Button Manager API With Hosted Solution Checkout
Specifying HTML Variables
When you create or update a button using the Button Manager API, you must specify the same
HTML variables that you specify when creating any PayPal Payments Standard button.
Although you can use the L_BUTTONVAR
n field to specify any HTML variables, some
variables are commonly used in specific ways.
The following table provides additional information about some of these variables:
HTML Variable Notes
item_name Name or description of item. Must be specified for Add to Cart buttons.
Character length and limitations: 127 single-byte alphanumeric characters.
amount The price or amount of the item. Required for Add to Cart buttons. May not
be used when a dropdown with price (L_OPTION0PRICE
n) is defined.
Limitations: Value must be a positive number. No currency symbol. Must have
two decimal places, decimal separator must be a period (.), and the optional
thousands separator must be a comma (,).
a3 Price of subscription. Must be specified for Subscribe buttons. Value must be
a positive number. No currency symbol. Must have two decimal places,
decimal separator must be a period (.), and the optional thousands separator
must be a comma (,).
p3 Regular billing cycle. Must be specified for Subscribe buttons. Limitations:
Must be a positive integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to 30
t3 Regular billing cycle units. Must be specified for Subscribe buttons.