JBidWatcher: eBay bidding, sniping & monitoring software for all

[stani]

Introduction

As the jbidwatcher howto for Ubuntu 5.10 got outdated, I post a new howto for Lucid. However I'd like to thank foxy123 for his initial howto and he deserves the credits.


jBidWatcher

From the jBidWatcher website:

A Java-based application allowing you to monitor auctions you're not part of, submit bids, snipe (bid at the last moment), and otherwise track your auction-site experience. It includes adult-auction management, MANY currencies (yen, pound, dollar (US, Canada, Australian, and New Taiwanese), Swiss Francs, and euro, presently), drag-and-drop of auction URLs, a unique and powerful 'multisniping' feature, a relatively nice UI

You need the latest release as the older ones are not able to communicate with ebay anymore. In case there is a new version, let me know and I'll update this howto.About this version:

I’ve finally released 2.1 (followed quickly by a 2.1.1 release). This is my ‘perfect is the enemy of good’ release. While there are probably bugs I’ve missed, I tested it pretty heavily

To install jBidWatcher, just copy these statements in a shell:

sudo mkdir /usr/local/share/java
cd /usr/local/share/java
sudo wget http://assets1.jbidwatcher.com/images/jay_noback.png
sudo wget http://www.jbidwatcher.com/download/JBidwatcher-2.1.1.jar
sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/jbidwatcher

This will open a text editor, paste the following text:

#!/bin/sh
java -jar /usr/local/share/java/JBidwatcher-2.1.1.jar

Now make this script executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/jbidwatcher

This will allow you to start jbidwatcher from the terminal with:

jbidwatcher

Sun Java

In order to use jBidWatcher you need to install sun-java. JBidWatcher doesn't work with another version of Java! You can find more info about installing sun-java here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Java

To be short: if you have the multiverse repositories enabled, you can install it like this:

sudo apt-get install sun-java6-bin

...and make sure it is the default:

sudo update-alternatives --config java

$ sudo update-alternatives --config java

There are 3 alternatives which provide `java'.

Selection Alternative
-----------------------------------------------
*+ 1 /usr/lib/jvm/java-gcj/jre/bin/java
2 /usr/bin/gij-wrapper-4.1
3 /usr/lib/j2re1.5-sun/bin/java

Press enter to keep the default[*], or type selection number: 3
Using `/usr/lib/j2re1.5-sun/bin/java' to provide `java'.

Menu entry

Paste the following in the terminal:

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/jBidWatcher.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Comment=eBay bidding, sniping & monitoring
Name=jBidWatcher
Exec=jbidwatcher
Terminal=false
Encoding=UTF-8
Type=Application
Icon=/usr/local/share/java/jay_noback.png
Categories=Network

Background

If you wonder why to use this tool, read these articles:
On Ebay, it pays to snipe
How to win on Ebay: snipe!

[philbridges]

Thanks so much of the step by step instructions, I thought Linspire was good but ubuntu is so much easier! I've followled your instructions but keep seeing the following error..

phil@BamBam:~$ sudo apt-get install sun-j2re1.5
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package sun-j2re1.5 is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package sun-j2re1.5 has no installation candidate
phil@BamBam:~$

Being a newbie it makes no sense to me, just wondered if I'd expect such an error?

Thanks

Thanks

[stani]

E: Package sun-j2re1.5 has no installation candidate

Being a newbie it makes no sense to me, just wondered if I'd expect such an error?

Ubuntu installs it packages from repositories. You don't seem to have a repository with sun java by default. Therefore you could use the PLF repositories. I've updated my HowTo so you can follow the instructions under Sun Java again.

Good luck,
Stani

[diepruis]

If you wonder why to use this tool, read these articles:
On Ebay, it pays to snipe
How to win on Ebay: snipe!

You made a mistake with the URLs above. They should be:

On Ebay, it pays to snipe
How to win on Ebay: snipe!

Just thought I'd give you a heads up.

[stani]

Thanks, I fixed the links.
Stani

[meander]

i cant seem to get it working, the install procedure goes without error, but i get no menu entry after, and if i just try to run jbidwatcher i get permisson denied, but sudo jbidwatcher gives an unknown command error

[codypumper]

I get the exact same responses as meander.

[chadk]

Here's the error I get:

jbidwatcher
Exception in thread "main" java.awt.AWTError: Cannot load AWT toolkit: gnu.java.awt.peer.gtk.GtkToolkit
   at java.awt.Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.awt.Font.tk(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.awt.Font.getPeerFromToolkit(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.awt.Font.<init>(libgcj.so.7)
   at javax.swing.plaf.FontUIResource.<init>(libgcj.so.7)
   at javax.swing.plaf.metal.DefaultMetalTheme.<clinit>(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.lang.Class.initializeClass(libgcj.so.7)
   at javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel.createDefaultTheme(libgcj.so.7)
   at javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel.<init>(libgcj.so.7)
   at javax.swing.UIManager.<clinit>(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.lang.Class.initializeClass(libgcj.so.7)
   at JBidWatch.main(JBidWatch.java:602)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: gnu.java.awt.peer.gtk.GtkToolkit
   at java.lang.Class.forName(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.lang.Class.forName(libgcj.so.7)
   at java.awt.Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit(libgcj.so.7)
   ...11 more

You guys with the permission error do this:
sudo chmod 777 /usr/local/bin/jbidwatcher

[stani]

I've updated the howto (making script executable+java package). I just installed jbidwatcher on another computer and it worked fine. Are you sure you configured sun-java as the default java with this command:

sudo update-alternatives --config java

[rko618]

I can't find Jbidwatcher in my menu so I ran it from the command line and I got this

/usr/share/themes/Human/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:70: Engine "ubuntulooks" is unsupported, ignoring
/usr/share/themes/Human/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:240: Priority specification is unsupported, ignoring

I'm guessing this is why jBidWatcher looks so ugly. I checked and I have ubuntulooks installed so I don't know how to fix this.