How to display / debug shipping data

-- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.4
-- Joomla version -- : 2.5.11
-- PHP version -- : 5.4.34
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox

We are using UPS and USPS shipping methods, both appear to be working though the calculated amounts appear to be wrong (too high). We've experimented with a single product, various dimensions and weights and the shipping costs for both UPS and USPS are too high.

Is there any easy way to see the values (weight and dimensions) being passed from Hikashop to UPS / USPS?
Searching through seemingly relevant posts, I found reference to "var_dump", but no clue what it does, how to use?

As it seems so many have issues with various shipping methods, would it be possible to add a "debug" or "verbose" option in configuration to somehow gather and display the data going to and return from shipping services?

Hello,

We are using UPS and USPS shipping methods, both appear to be working though the calculated amounts appear to be wrong (too high).

We've experimented with a single product, various dimensions and weights and the shipping costs for both UPS and USPS are too high.

echo '<!-- '. $xml. ' -->'."\r\n"; // THIS LINE IS FOR DEBUG PURPOSES ONLY-IT WILL SHOW IN HTML COMMENTS

$session = curl_init("https://www.ups.com/ups.app/xml/Rate");
		curl_setopt($session, CURLOPT_HEADER, 1);
		curl_setopt($session,CURLOPT_POST,1);
		curl_setopt($session,CURLOPT_TIMEOUT, 30);
		curl_setopt($session,CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
		curl_setopt ($session, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);
		curl_setopt ($session, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, 0);
		curl_setopt($session,CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS,$xml);

As it seems so many have issues with various shipping methods, would it be possible to add a "debug" or "verbose" option in configuration to somehow gather and display the data going to and return from shipping services?

Group packages is set to Yes for UPS, but I assume that applies when ordering multiple products. I have a single item in the cart weighing 1 ounce, dimensions set to 1" x 1" x .08", shipping within the same zip code, should retrieve the lowest rate from either UPS or USPS.
PDF attached shows configuration for both UPS and USPS (account credentials intentionally obscured).

For USPS, it's not clear how the field "Container" is to be used - I didn't see anything in the online Help regarding "Container". When using Flat Rate, prices are correct. When using "Rectangular" or "Non Rectangular", Priority Mail is not presented as an option. Priority Mail is presented as an option when container is "Variable", but the price shown appears incorrect.

Hello,
As it's said on the USPS developper documentation :

Use to specify special containers or container attributes that may affect postage; otherwise, leave blank.