There are more update formats than there are variations of rules. What always works best is a columnar format. At all costs avoid embedded tab characters because you have no guarantee how things are displayed, and above that, avoid going over 80 columns.
Here are three time-proven sample formats. Feel free to emulate these without any fear of retribution... Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and standardization is better for the group.
Todd Lehman uses a format like this:
AA1 Blacktron I General (male) > $3.75 Chaz L
AC3 Ice Planet Pilot (female) $8.00 " Aaron K
AC3 Ice Planet Pilot (female) > $8.50 Aaron K
AD1 Unitron Subcommander (unisex) > $1.20 Chaz L
AD1 Unitron Subcommander (unisex) $1.20 (open)
AD1 Unitron Subcommander (unisex) $1.20 (open)
BD1 Red Crusader (unisex) $1.60 $ Chaz L
BD1 Red Crusader (unisex) $1.60 $ Chaz L
BP3 Dragon Master [blue] (male) > $1.00 Stan A
BP3 Dragon Master [blue] (male) > $1.00 Chaz L
BS2 Forestmen Archer (unisex) $7.00 ' Mark G
BS2 Forestmen Archer (unisex) $7.50 Chris M
~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~~~~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~
| | | | | |
Item Item Description Change High | Bidder
Code Marker Bid State
What are all those crazy symbols? The ' " $ markers mean Going Once, Going
Twice, and Sold, respectively, and the arrow marker draws your attention to
items which have had new bids since your last update.
Open No bid yet
Standing New bid less than 48 hours (2 days) old
' Going Once Bid at least 48 hours (2 days) old
" Going Twice Bid at least 96 hours (4 days) old
$ Sold Bid at least 144 hours (6 days) old
Erik Wilson uses a format like this:
sk1080 n Iceplanet Jetsled (#1711) S chazl@foo.bar.e $ 3.00
sk2440 n Blacktron I Invader (6894) S Aaron K. $ 85.00
sk2570 n Particle Ionizer (6923) . Aaron K. $ 57.00
sk2670 n Spectral Starguider (6933) - ---- $ 25.00
sq0210 2.50 Ice Planet Snowshoes (10) 1 MarkG $ .50
sq0211 2.50 Ice Planet Snowshoes (10) 1 MarkG $ .50
sq0310 n Ice Planet Saws (10) S Aaron K. $ 0.50
sq0660 n Spryrius mailboxes (3) S Aaron K. $ 0.75
sw0161 n 10 gry 2 wheel units * MarkG $ 1.50
sw0162 n 10 gry 2 wheel units 1 MarkG $ 1.75
sw1010 n Small Space Wheels (12) S chazl@foo.bar.e $ 0.50
sx1010 n Raised Baseplate (Ice Planet) S chazl@foo.bar.e $ 5.00
~~T~~~ ~~T~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~T~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ T ~~~~~~T~~~~~~~~ ~~~~T~~~~
| | | | | |
Item QuickSale Lot Description State Bidder High Bid
Code Price
Here the 1 2 S markers mean Going Once, Going Twice, and Sold, respectively, and the * marker draws your attention to items which have had new bids.
- Open No bid yet
* New bid New bid
Standing Bid less than 48 hours (2 days) old
1 Going Once Bid at least 48 hours (2 days) old
2 Going Twice Bid at least 72 hours (3 days) old
S Sold Bid at least 96 hours (4 days) old
Jeff Crites uses a format like this:
_______________________________________________________________________
| | | | | | | | | Date |
|Item| Yrs. | Set Name: |ST| P | Bids |Bidder|Status | of |
| #: |Avail.| | | C | | | | Bid: |
|====|======|======================|==|===|=======|======|=======|======|
|6049| 87-89|Viking Voyager |CS| 94| 65 | AK |-SOLD--| 6/29 |
|6066| 87-93|Camouflaged Outpost |FM|211| 185 | AK |Going 1| 7/20 |
|6039| 88-92|Twin Armed Launcher |CS| 73| 40 | MG |Going 2| 7/5 |
|6054| 88-93|Forestmen's Hideout |FM|198| 151 | CL |-SOLD--| 6/26 |
|6085| 88-92|Black Monarch's Castle|CS|665| 155 | MG |-SOLD--| 6/12 |
|6060| 89-92|Knight's Challange |CS|160| 175 | CL |Going 2| 7/6 |
|6071| 90-94|Forestmen's Crossing |FM|203| 160 | MG |-SOLD--| 6/20 |
|----+------+----------------------+--+---+-------+------+-------+------|
Here Going 1, Going 2, Going 3(?), and Sold are spelled out.
8 Jan 96 [TSL]