I have a store admin that wants to limit each package to 4 lbs. If a customer makes a purchase over 4 lbs., it should be split into multiple packages of 4 lbs. (or less) each. Is this something that CS-Cart 2.1.x can do automatically when calculating real-time shipping costs from USPS?
Anyone?
You should be able to do this with versions 2.1.3 or later (when Multi-box functionality was added).
However, this has not worked correctly with USPS realtime shipping methods since day one, no problems with UPS or Fedex, only USPS.
You can check out this thread as it appears bcomisky has provided the fix for USPS:
Forum link
[quote name='Struck' timestamp='1321575790' post='126194']
You should be able to do this with versions 2.1.3 or later (when Multi-box functionality was added).
However, this has not worked correctly with USPS realtime shipping methods since day one, no problems with UPS or Fedex, only USPS.
You can check out this thread as it appears bcomisky has provided the fix for USPS:
Forum link
[/quote]
Are you sure it works with UPS?
The situation doesn't occur too often but if I have a customer that orders 20 different products (lets say each one weighs 10 pounds) and I have 70 pounds set for the max weight for UPS, CSC calculates the total (200 pounds) which throws it to my freight shipping method instead of breaking it up into 3 different packages.
The multi-box crap that only works for individual products has nothing to do with it.
Like I argued in the beginning, there should be a max weight and max box size.
Hey Tool,
[quote]Are you sure it works with UPS?[/quote]
Yes, I was able to split up to approx. 2,700 Lbs of product into 58 Lb cartons with UPS Ground Realtime rates back when I was testing the Multi-box functionality (which was the maximum limit from UPS). At that time I had the Maximum weight per carton for the UPS ground method set at 58 Lbs.
Although as of approx 3 months ago we have switched back to Fedex, I did all of our original testing thru UPS. Fedex is working fine as well with same setup.
I have our common carrier trucking setup to also return rates starting at 400 Lbs.
As far as calculating carton sizes, this would have very little benefit to us at least because we package each shipment as best makes sense for obtaining our best cost, and keep a boatload of different carton sizes on the floor at all times to accommodate most any situation we encounter.
Misunderstanding…Have you tried it without the multi box crap? Can your customers order 50 different products that their total weight equals 232 pounds and the software calculated 4 different packages?
Tool,
[quote]Have you tried it without the multi box crap?[/quote]
Not sure what you mean by this, it is Multi-Box in that instead of having no rates returned on an order with a combined weight exceeding the UPS or Fedex single carton weight limitation, it spreads the items weight across “multiple cartons” with whatever maximum wt. you set. That was the whole point! 
[quote]Can your customers order 50 different products that their total weight equals 232 pounds and the software calculated 4 different packages?[/quote]
Absolutely & a very common occurrence for us. If the total combined cart weight is 185 Lbs for example (products mixed/matched, or same, does not matter), it calculates as (3) Ctns @ 58 Lbs each and (1) Ctn @ 11 Lbs (This is based upon my maximum carton weight setting at 58 Lbs)
Does this explain well enough? If not let me know and I will see what I can do to help!