Auction/Logfile Notifier Tool (Text Message or Email)

[salimoneus]

This is a little tool I created to notify me via sound alert or text/email message if an item I am looking to buy shows up in an auction. Basically you just enter in your search items, configure the text/email, and let it do it's thing.

This comes in handy when I'm working in the garage or around the house, or doing something out in the yard, or even working in a different window or virtual desktop at the office (purely hypothetical ofc), but I'm available to come back to the computer in the event someone posts my precious for sale.

Here you can see it's configured to look for Wavecrashers and Insignia Protectors, and in case I am also posting WTB periodicaly, I added "You auction" in the exclude box to ignore those log statements. You could also optionally add "WTB" in the exclude box to filter out others' WTB posts matching the items:

https://i.imgur.com/qM3lvix.png

Here is what the text/email Config tab looks like:

https://i.imgur.com/C6bAFki.png

Note that the Transmit must be Enabled (checked) in order for texts or emails to get sent out. This should initially be unchecked for testing to make sure your search filters are setup correctly, or just to leave that feature disabled. Even if transmissions are disabled, they will still be logged to the Processed tab so you can see exactly how your filters are working. The Windows taskbar button for the application will also flash when a match is found. I would recommend starting out with Transmit Enabled being unchecked but have the sound alert checked so that you are notified when a match is found, to see how your filters are working.

Important: To have the program stop processing after the first text/email goes out, make sure the "Stop after first" option is checked. This option will be checked by default, as a lot of texts/emails can result if the search terms are too broad or general.

I would recommend creating a new Gmail account to use as the Outgoing SMTP (account to send from) just for use with this tool, but it doesn't really matter what account it gets sent from it just needs a valid account on an SMTP server in order to send the text emails out. The reason I would use a new account is because most email services limit the number of emails that can be sent in a time period, so the account might get blocked if it gets too spammy. I have not tested all providers, only Verizon, but I used fairly standard email -> text mappings available for all providers so they should work.

When a log entry matches the filters, it gets added to the Processed tab:

https://i.imgur.com/SVDIM8N.png

If there are errors during processing, the application stops processing the log file and indicates an error status and adds an entry into the Processed tab. The most common error would be invalid email credentials, so if you are seeing connection errors I would look there first.

Another way which I imagine this tool being useful, would be if you had EQ running in a remote desktop or on a virtual desktop (or both) at work, and were trying to sell a few items. You can quickly post your WTS messages, switch to another window or desktop, and wait for a text to show up from a potential buyer.


I'm sure there are other clever ways that this can be used, and it's not specific to auctions or even Everquest in general, it can be configured to watch any live text logfile you have access to on a running system.

The application does save your preferences, so in between each run it will remember everything, EXCEPT for your email password. It never saves or stores or uses your password in any way aside from the actual sending of the text email message. I still recommend creating a new email account you don't plan on using just in case it gets blocked due to excessive messages.

This tool does require EQ to be running, and a mule parked in EC so it can process the live auction data being logged. It does not try to impersonate an EQ client, nor does it log into the P99 servers. All it does is read the logfile of the currently logged in toon and parse the incoming messages in real time.

This tool requires that logging be enabled, so make sure Log=TRUE in your eqclient.ini file.

This tool also requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17851) so if you do not have that please install using the link provided.

I am providing the complete C# source code, built with VS2010, as well as a zip file containing a Win32 executable. On Windows 7/10 it will save your settings to an XML file in the c:\users\myusername\AppData\roaming\LogNotifier folder, and the location will vary on other versions of Windows. It is open source code with no viruses or ads, nothing but the code.

Latest release on GitHub: https://github.com/salimoneus/LogNotifier/releases/latest

I hope someone finds this tool useful. Feel free to post feedback and/or any issues you may have.

[Legidias]

Third party hax

[Ghostly]

This seems to be an overcomplicated version of GINA, no?

[bomaroast]

What service are you using to send out text messages?

[Ghostly]

What service are you using to send out text messages?

None, since that seems to be a part of your program that would be against the rules since that gives an advantage while you're not at your keyboard.

[Jibartik]

dwarves at it again delving deeply! :p

[salimoneus]

What service are you using to send out text messages?

Just standard Email->SMS gateway addresses, like 5152223456@vtext.com and such. I don't know if they are all still working and active, this tool has been around for a few years and I haven't updated the code or tested all the gateway addresses (actually haven't tested most of them).

Nowadays I mostly just use it for the audible alarm on a match when I'm at the comp.

[salimoneus]

None, since that seems to be a part of your program that would be against the rules since that gives an advantage while you're not at your keyboard.

You can find my old threads for this exact utility posted as long as 4 years ago, have never heard anything to that effect.

[salimoneus]

This seems to be an overcomplicated version of GINA, no?

Hmm not familiar with that, but will check it out.

I actually wrote this for another notification system, so it's very generic in nature and not specific to EQ at all. It's doesn't integrate at all with Everquest (overlays, etc) and knows nothing about Everquest.

It just reads a live logfile and does various notifications, not that complicated really.

[loramin]

None, since that seems to be a part of your program that would be against the rules since that gives an advantage while you're not at your keyboard.

You really need to try reading the actual rules before you lecture others on them. There is nothing whatsoever in the rules against reading log files while AFK. On the contrary, they're explicitly permitted in the rules:

In addition, any program that strictly reads log files is acceptable.

[Ghostly]

You really need to try reading the actual rules before you lecture others on them. There is nothing whatsoever in the rules against reading log files while AFK. On the contrary, they're explicitly permitted in the rules:

Reading the log files sure, notifying you about what is going on in game while not at your computer via text messages? Sounds pretty borderline to me.

[loramin]

Reading the log files sure, notifying you about what is going on in game while not at your computer via text messages? Sounds pretty borderline to me.

What part of:

In addition, any program that strictly reads log files is acceptable.

is "borderline"? Unless you think they literally meant that all a program is allowed to do is read the and not actually do anything in response ... but that would make absolutely no sense because a program that can just read logs and not doing anything else would have no point.

There's no "borderline" about it: the staff has made it very clear, both in the rules themselves (unless you choose to willfully disbelieve them because you disagree) and in forum posts throughout the years. Any program can do anything ... ANYTHING it wants when it reads the log ... except mess with the game itself.

The moment any program, log reader or not, tries to impact the game you're a cheater. But until then any program can read the logs and do anything else it wants in response.

[PieOats]

But until then any program can read the logs and do anything else it wants in response.

My Dearest Loramin®,

*Strictly* speaking, doing one thing and another thing is altogether different from doing strictly that one thing.



Ergo, YOUR *WRONG* mon amis.

[DMN]

I thought this was the nolifer tool.

I R dissapoint.

[Ravager]

This thing works pretty slick if you're waiting for something to pop up for sale in EC and want to clean the garage instead of watching scrolling text. Kudos.

[P99Druid]

I've been using the old version from a few years ago for the last few years, the outgoing text stuff still works just fine. What's different in this new version to make it worth swapping from the older one?

[salimoneus]

This thing works pretty slick if you're waiting for something to pop up for sale in EC and want to clean the garage instead of watching scrolling text. Kudos.

Right on, glad it's working well for you, thanks!

I've been using the old version from a few years ago for the last few years, the outgoing text stuff still works just fine. What's different in this new version to make it worth swapping from the older one?

Glad to hear those mappings are still working. It's probably the same version, I haven't updated it in a while. I just created a new thread because the old one was locked due to inactivity and also lost most of the pics due to forum changes so I figured I'd redo it so people new to the game could find it. Thanks for the feedback, cheers!

[d3r14k]

I want to make a log program where every time Fippy runs into the guards it triggers my sandwich press to begin making me a grilled cheese.

[loramin]

I want to make a log program where every time Fippy runs into the guards it triggers my sandwich press to begin making me a grilled cheese.

A young man died today after consuming 57 grilled cheese sandwiches in a single day. Friends say it had something to do with a video game from the 90's ... ? More at eleven!

[aaezil]

Seems very not classic

[Jibartik]

I mean couldn't you create the map in live, with the log files alone?

run along walls, create location way points using the /loc system, create datasets of all the zones...

then while playing, spam your loc into your log file, read the log file, place that position, into the datasets, and bam.. you have your position in the world, in fact thats probubly how the maps work on live?

also you could linearly get the data you needed to create the empty maps from the even files themselves, using many different ways to extract the data you would need. :/

Not sure I should even encourage someone to develop this tool by mentioning that its that easy...

[Ravager]

Seems very not classic
Neither is discord. Log parsers are most definitely as old as the game itself though.

[loramin]

I mean couldn't you create the map in live, with the log files alone?

run along walls, create location way points using the /loc system, create datasets of all the zones...

then while playing, spam your loc into your log file, read the log file, place that position, into the datasets, and bam.. you have your position in the world, in fact thats probubly how the maps work on live?

also you could linearly get the data you needed to create the empty maps from the even files themselves, using many different ways to extract the data you would need. :/

Not sure I should even encourage someone to develop this tool by mentioning that its that easy...

It's not just a hypothetical: multiple people have created apps that do exactly that (watch your logs to show your position on a map).

The only one I could find mentioned in the wiki was http://www.zlizeq.com/ZlizEQ_Projects-ZlizEQMap, but if you search the forums (which is usually better with Google than with the forum search) I'm pretty sure there have been others.

[Jibartik]

We gotta delete all these posts! Whats next, modify log file to show cats as players??? :p

[P99Druid]

I mean couldn't you create the map in live, with the log files alone?

run along walls, create location way points using the /loc system, create datasets of all the zones...

then while playing, spam your loc into your log file, read the log file, place that position, into the datasets, and bam.. you have your position in the world, in fact thats probubly how the maps work on live?

also you could linearly get the data you needed to create the empty maps from the even files themselves, using many different ways to extract the data you would need. :/

Not sure I should even encourage someone to develop this tool by mentioning that its that easy...


That is exactly how the maps were made in old EQ for the zones where they didnt give them to you.

[salimoneus]

That is exactly how the maps were made in old EQ for the zones where they didnt give them to you.

Yes that is absolutely how I remember some maps being made as well, good point

[tristantio]

I apparently enjoy reinventing my own wheel(s) many times over.

https://github.com/ahungry/ahungry-map

The latest update is a clojure based client (so it'll run anywhere JVM can run, without headaches of C++/SDL portability).

Although, my first version (Common Lisp p99-patcher map program) used the browser to render, and API calls to track friends/other users, so you could actually see your fellow map users on the map and meet up with each other etc. easier.

Maybe I should add that to the clojure one (the c++, probably abandoned)

[tristantio]

Also, in the project is an "item-shop" project/tool I'm working on - a GUI for searching for gear with useful filters and no ads like on allakhzam (it can render ~40k items with no lag).

[salimoneus]

I apparently enjoy reinventing my own wheel(s) many times over.

https://github.com/ahungry/ahungry-map

The latest update is a clojure based client (so it'll run anywhere JVM can run, without headaches of C++/SDL portability).

Although, my first version (Common Lisp p99-patcher map program) used the browser to render, and API calls to track friends/other users, so you could actually see your fellow map users on the map and meet up with each other etc. easier.

Maybe I should add that to the clojure one (the c++, probably abandoned)

Also, in the project is an "item-shop" project/tool I'm working on - a GUI for searching for gear with useful filters and no ads like on allakhzam (it can render ~40k items with no lag).

I've used the live auction logger numerous times, very handy tool. Will give these others a look, some cool stuff there, thanks for the links!

[salimoneus]

Had some reports about issues running this under Wine on a Mac, not too familiar with Wine and how well .NET runs under it, but will see what I can find.

Also have been considering porting this to Qt so it could run natively on Mac/Linux assuming the OS has access to the EQ logs under Wine.

[salimoneus]

Had some reports about issues running this under Wine on a Mac, not too familiar with Wine and how well .NET runs under it, but will see what I can find.

Also have been considering porting this to Qt so it could run natively on Mac/Linux assuming the OS has access to the EQ logs under Wine.

Should be getting my hands on a Mac again shortly and can look into the Wine issues, that will also help jumpstart the cross platform work.

[Lhord99]

I want to make a log program where every time Fippy runs into the guards it triggers my sandwich press to begin making me a grilled cheese.

Not the gyro we want, but definitely the gyro we need!