eBayAgent.pl - last bid automation for eBay users
eBayAgent.pl [-D] [-v] -i item [-u user -p pass] [-m [-M email] [-S [smtpserver]]] [-r rcfile] [-c] [-t] [-b bid [-s] [-g gap [-d time] [-a time]] [-w time | -W time] [-B] [-E] [-A]] [-T time]
Required option: -i, --item eBay item number
User configuration options: -u, --user eBay username -p, --pass eBay password -m, --mail mail the log messages to the user specified with -u -M, --Mailuser specify the e-mail address to use (override the eBay username) -S, --Sendmail alternate e-mail sending method via stmpserver if given (localhost by default) -r, --rcfile specify rcfile to read default values into, default is .ebayrc
Bid & Snipe options: -b, --bid maximum bid amount (in the currency of the bid) -s, --smart if no one did bid on the item yet, will place a first bid at lowest amount before entering the snipe mode -g, --gap time gap (in seconds) between bid placement and end of auction (default value: 15) -d, --dcheck check ``dcheck'' seconds before end of gap for validity of our bid (default value: 15) -a, --acheck check ``acheck'' seconds after end of bid to see who won (default value: 15) -w, --watch watch item price changes every ``watch'' minutes to insure current price is not over max bidding price -W, --Watch same as the --watch option, but notify of every price change -T, --Track Just keep track of price changes for the item (does not authorize to place a bid); check the eBay web site every ``Track'' minutes (default: 30) -B, --Bidnow perform a bid at time of program call on specified item for specified amount -E, --Exitstatus change the exit status in case you won the bid (useful for shell scripting) -A, --Adult allow bid for adult items
Misc options: -c, --check print the item information and exit -t, --time print eBay time and exit -D, --Disclaimer print program disclaimer and exit -v, --version print program version number and exit
This program is designed to allow the user to snipe at the end of an eBay auction in order to get a better price when other bidders are pushing the price up incrementally. It really doesn't help much when someone else has put in a high proxy bid. What it does do is prevents other users from modifying their bids by bidding right at the end of the auction.
It works out when an auction will end by requesting the information about an item. It looks at the date header sent by the eBay web server and also the end time of the auction. The program compares the two times and sleeps until ``gap'' seconds before the end of the auction.
In this way it does not use the host systems time to, only eBay's time. (Note that clock skew are possible, but are hopefully corrected when in w/Watch mode)
At the present time, eBayAgent is still not made to work with Dutch Auctions (checking user in the bid winner list is not yet implemented) and have a restriction on Private Auctions (since the highest bidder name is hidden, we can not know if user has it, so your bid need to be over the minimal bid at all time).
Overrides the eBay username.
Note that multiple e-mail addresses need to be separated them by a comma (,).
If provided, will send e-mails via smtpserver, better than localhost.
Note that to use this package to send e-mails, Mailuser must be a fully qualified e-mail (example:
For the rcfile, if using localhost as the smtpserver, just type: Sendmail 1
The Mail::Sendmail package is available at:
ps listing.
For safety, make sure the rcfile is readable only by yourself.
Default search path for the .ebayrc file is . then $HOME
Lines starting with # are considered comments.
When using a on/off option, 0 is off and 1 is on.
Recognized entries are user, pass, mail, Mailuser, gap, dcheck, acheck, watch, Watch, smart, Sendmail, Adult.
Example file (each line is optional and can be superseded by a command line option): user yourusername pass yourpassword gap 10 mail 1 Mailuser myemail@myfullyqualifiedaddress bcheck 20 acheck 15 Watch 30 smart 1
This will work as user yourusername with password yourpassword, placing a bid 10 seconds before the end of the bid, checking 20 seconds before placing the bid for its validity, as well as 15 seconds after the end of the bid to see who won, and send e-mails to myemail@myfullyqualifiedaddress. During the entire snipe, the program will check every 30 minutes to check that the bid is still valid and inform you of any price change. Also, if there were no bid on the item yet when you launched eBayAgent, since it has been started in smart mode, it will place an initial bid at the minimal amount.
eBayAgent.pl item1 -b price1 -E; if ($status != 99) eBayAgent.pl item2 -b price2.
Note that this option can not work for Private Auctions and will exit normaly without special exit status.
This means that you agree to abide by eBay's Mature Audiences Category Terms of Use (as described when you try to access a Mature Audience item). More information is available at: http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?AdultLoginShow&t=1
In order for this option to work, you need to have verified yourself as an adult with eBay and have provided them with a valid credit card number. More information on the ID verification process is available at: http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/f-verify.html
Ask eBay for its time and exit
Check header of the Perl file for all applied changes
Project homepage located at:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ebayagent/
Andrew Wansink <andy@sharinga.com> Many additions by Martial MICHEL <martial@users.sourceforge.net>
$Id: eBayAgent.pl,v 1.33 2002/06/22 05:36:10 martial Exp $
(c) 2002 Andrew Wansink <andy@sharinga.com> Many additions by Martial MICHEL <martial@users.sourceforge.net> Other additions belonging to various authors (see CHANGES section).