Provided by: esniper_2.35.0+git20190805.7930bb4-1_amd64 bug

NAME

       esniper - a lightweight ebay sniping tool

SYNOPSIS

       esniper  [-bdhHimnPrUv]  [-c conf_file] [-l logdir] [-p proxy] [-q quantity] [-s secs|now]
       [-u user] (auction_file | [ auction price ... ])

DESCRIPTION

       esniper is a lightweight ebay sniping tool.  It doesn't have a lot of features,  and  that
       is by design.

       Auctions  are  specified on the command line, using the auction number and your bid price.
       Multiple auctions can be bid on by specifying more auctions and bid prices.  esniper stops
       when the desired quantity has been won (default is 1).

       You  can  use an auction file instead of specifying auctions on the command line.  See the
       AUCTION FILE section below for more details.

OPTIONS

       -b     Enable batch mode.  The corresponding configuration option is batch, default  value
              is  false.   In batch mode, esniper never prompts for password and/or username.  If
              the  password  or  username  cannot  be  determined  from  options  or  read   from
              configuration or auction files, esniper will fail.

       -c     Specifies  a configuration file to read.  All options can be set either by command-
              line flags or in the configuration file.  See the CONFIGURATION  FILE  section  for
              details.   The  default  configuration  file  is $HOME/.esniper (or $USERPROFILE/My
              Documents/.esniper in Windows).

       -d     Enable debug mode.  The corresponding configuration option is debug, default  value
              is  false.   Log files are named esniper.<auction_num>.log and esniper.log, and are
              written to the current working directory.  If the -l option or logdir configuration
              option is used, log files are written to the specified directory.

       -h     Show command line option help.

       -H     Show configuration and auction file help.

       -i     Print information on given auctions and exit.

       -l     Set the directory where log files will be written.  The corresponding configuration
              option is logdir, default value is the current working directory, or if an  auction
              file  is specified the directory of the auction file.  The directory must exist and
              be writeable.  Log files are written when the -d option is used.

       -m     Print user's my eBay watched items list and exit.  The user's myEbay watched  items
              list must use the default column ordering.

       -n     Do  not bid.  The corresponding configuration option is bid, default value is true.
              Useful for debugging, it exercises most of esniper except  actually  placing  bids.
              It  is  also  be useful for checking the status of an auction, without accidentally
              placing a bid.

       -p     Specify an http proxy to use.  The corresponding  configuration  option  is  proxy,
              default  value  is  the  value  of  the http_proxy environment variable.  The proxy
              should be of the form http://host:port/.

       -P     Prompt the user for their ebay password.  This overrides the password  set  in  any
              configuration or auction file.

       -q     Set  the  quantity.   The  corresponding  configuration option is quantity, default
              value is 1.  esniper will quit when it has won enough items.

       -r     Do  not  reduce  quantity  on  startup  for  items  you  have  already  won.    The
              corresponding configuration option is reduce, default value is true.

       -s     Set  the  bidding  time, specified as now, or seconds before the end of an auction.
              If now is used, bids will be placed immediately.  The  corresponding  configuration
              option is seconds, default value is 10 seconds.  You should snipe late enough in an
              auction to prevent a manual bidder to update their bid, but  before  other  snipes.
              In  case  two bids are within one bid increment of each other, the first bid placed
              wins.

       -u     Set the ebay username.  The corresponding configuration option is  username,  there
              is no default value.

       -U     Prompt the user for their ebay username.

       -v     Print version and exit.

CONFIGURATION FILE

       Most command-line options can also be set in a configuration file.  The advantage of using
       a configuration file is that you can set all of you options once and  not  have  to  enter
       them on the command line every time you run esniper.

       A  configuration file consists of option lines, in the format "option=value", blank lines,
       and comments.  Option names are listed above with their corresponding command-line  flags.
       Comments begin with #.

       One  configuration  file  option  that  doesn't  have a corresponding command-line flag is
       password.  The password option allows you to set your eBay password.  If  you  store  your
       eBay  password  in a configuration file, you should ensure that the configuration file can
       be read only by you.

       The default configuration file is $HOME/.esniper (or $USERPROFILE/My Documents/.esniper in
       Windows).  If an auction file is used, esniper will also attempt to read .esniper from the
       directory that contains the auction file; options set  in  this  configuration  file  will
       override options set in the user's default configuration file.  However, if the -c command
       line option is used, then only the configuration file specified by  the  -c  command  line
       option is read.

       Options  specified  on  the  command line override corresponding options set in an auction
       file, and options set in an auction file override options set in any configuration file.

AUCTION FILE

       An auction file is similar to a configuration file, but it also has one  or  more  auction
       lines.   An  auction  line contains an auction number, optionally followed by a bid price.
       If no bid price is given, the auction number uses the bid price of the first prior auction
       line that contains a bid price.

       If  an  auction  file  is specified and the -c option isn't used, esniper attempts to read
       .esniper from the directory where the auction file is located.  See the CONFIGURATION FILE
       section for more details.

EXAMPLES

       An example of a configuration file:

            # A configuration file contains option settings,
            # blank lines, and comments (begin with #).  The
            # default configuration file is $HOME/.esniper, and
            # if you specify an auction file, .esniper in the
            # auction file's directory as well.  If you specify a
            # configuration file using the -c command-line option,
            # then that configuration file will be the only one
            # read.
            #
            # If you set your password in a configuration file
            # and you are on a unix system, you should be the
            # owner of the file, and you should set the
            # permissions so that it is readable only by the
            # owner.
            #
            # Here are all the options.  Note that if the
            # default (as defined in esniper -H) is fine, you
            # don't need to specify it in a configuration file.

            # boolean parameters can be set to:
            #    true, y, yes, on, 1, enabled
            #    false, n, no, off, 0, disabled
            batch = false
            bid = yes
            debug = enabled
            reduce = y

            # Note: it would be nice if logdir could use ~myuser,
            # or $HOME.  Perhaps in a future version.
            logdir = /export/home/myuser/esniperlogs
            password = myebaypassword
            # Note: proxy authentication not yet supported
            proxy = http://192.168.1.1:8080/
            username = myebayusername

            # Note: quantity is usually set in an auction file
            quantity = 1
            # Note: seconds can also be "now", if you want to
            # bid immediately
            seconds = 10

       An example of an auction file:

            # An auction file may contain any line that is valid
            # in a configuration file (see sample_config.txt for
            # details), plus it may also have auction lines.
            #
            # An auction line contains an auction number, optionally
            # followed by a price.  If a price isn't specified, the
            # price used is the same as the previous auction line.
            #
            # You should have one auction file for each type of item
            # you are bidding on, so that you can change the quantity,
            # username, or other options to suit the item you are
            # bidding on.  For instance, you may want to buy up to 10
            # laser print cartridges, but only one digital camera.

            # Sample auction file for laser printer cartridges

            # I'd like 10 of them, and my target price is $50
            quantity = 10

            # seller surpluslaserjunk, shipping $15,
            # questionable reputation (so I'll only pay $40 total)
            9298389738 25
            9872749829
            9872972987
            9087289973

            # seller highqualityprintersupplies, shipping $8,
            # excellent reputation
            9982309829 42
            9827349827

            # seller nonbusinesshomeseller, shipping not mentioned
            # (assume $10), good reputation
            9287398473 35

            # seller lasersuppliesforcheap, lousy reputation,
            # don't buy!!!
            #9239889372 0

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

       http_proxy     The default http proxy.  The -p command-line option and proxy configuration
                      option override this setting.

       USERPROFILE    Windows user's home directory.  If  no  configuration  file  is  specified,
                      esniper  tries to read the file My Documents/.esniper under the USERPROFILE
                      directory.  Note: esniper for Windows 95,  98  and  Me  is  compiled  under
                      cygwin,  a unix-like environment for Windows.  This version of esniper uses
                      the HOME environment variable, as described below.

       HOME           Unix user's home directory.  If no configuration file is specified, esniper
                      tries to read the file .esniper in this directory.

BUGS

       eBay  likes  to change their website often.  Some of these changes will break esniper.  If
       esniper doesn't work for you, please make sure you have the most recent version.  You  can
       check the version of esniper you are using by running esniper with the -v option.  Updates
       to esniper are available at http://esniper.sf.net/.

       If you are running the most current version and you are still encountering a  bug,  please
       report  the bug at http://esniper.sf.net/.  To keep up to date with new releases and major
       bugs,     subscribe     to     the     esniper     announce      mailing      list      at
       http://lists.sf.net/lists/listinfo/esniper-announce

THANKS

       Many thanks to all contributors and users.

AUTHOR

       Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2004 Scott Nicol <esniper@users.sf.net> All rights reserved.

                                           31 Jan 2005                                 esniper(1)