# cups & epson

## zbled

hi all, i cannot print anything. it's an epson 580 (usb). I've compiled the kernel including the following selections:

- support for usb (*)

- preliminary usb device filesystem (*)

- uhci (*)

- ohci (*)

- usb printer support (M)

I've added "printer" to /etc/modules.autoload (the module loads without an error message) and i've executed "env-update add cupsd default".

to install the printer i've executed the following command:

/usr/sbin/lpadmin -p Epson -E -v usb:/dev/usblp0 -m epson24.ppd

i can even select epson from the printer menu now (openoffice), but it's only queued and not on paper :)

any ideas, how i can solve this problem?

thanks in advance

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## zbled

when using the browser to check out the print stats:

Description: Epson

Location:

Printer State: processing, accepting jobs.

"Printer not connected; will retry in 30 seconds..."

Device URI: usb:/dev/usblp0

the printer is connected to the computer.

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## zbled

i'm so lame... I've used the wrong device

anyone knows where to get the correct driver for my printer? there are  are two drivers in /usr/share/cups/model for epson printers (epson9.ppd & epson24.ppd) - but the print output looks crapy.

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## fghellar

Did you emerge gimp-print, too?

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/desktop.xml

http://www.linuxprinting.org/

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## zbled

yes, i've installed gnome-print now and i can choose epson stylus color 580 when adding a new printer via webbrowser (localhost:631). There are a lot of entries for the printer. they look all the same to me (epson 580 eng, or something like that).

i've added my printer with the driver for epson st.c. 580 - but it's not printing again: state =  stopped at novalue, and the weird thing is, that the device is /dev/usb/lp at the mom, not /dev/usb/usblp0 anymore.

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## Lunasea

Heya!

I'm having the same problem with an Epson 480, also usb printer. Have you managed to fix this problem?

TIA

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## Lunasea

Finally figured out what the problem was ... I ran out of ink!  :Embarassed: 

Since there's no way in linux to check that out with my printer, I only found out when I used it in my windows box.   :Rolling Eyes: 

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## MK

There is a utility for Epson to check ink etc. and it works quite well with my SC 580

```

*  net-print/mtink

      Latest version available: 1.0.1

      Latest version installed: 1.0.1

      Size of downloaded files: 843 kB

      Homepage:    http://xwtools.automatix.de/

      Description: mtink is a status monitor and inkjet cartridge changer for some Epson printers

      License:     GPL-2

```

Just to mention it   :Smile: 

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## codergeek42

 *MK wrote:*   

> There is a utility for Epson to check ink etc. and it works quite well with my SC 580
> 
> ```
> 
> *  net-print/mtink
> ...

 That looks pretty handy. Thanx, MK.

Though, Why is it in "net-print"? Oh well  :Question: 

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## xfze

Hi, I know I don't have ink as it ran out some time ago when I was using Windows.  As I'm too lousy (or to cheap  :Smile:  to buy a new black cartridge I've been using my folks printers via CUPS/Samba.

But now I do want to have my printer working, after I messed up with CUPS a little the kernel told me "lp0 is on fire". I noticed something wasn't right. After some search I realised It could be due to no paper, paper jammed ... no ink! In the same threads of the "lp0 on fire" I saw someone mentioning that external tools were required so that one could see ink stats. After an emerge -s ink I decided to emerge -av mtink

But now mtink says some problem like "no paper/no ink/no power" is with the printer and it can't get its status (or perform any other action, even the "change cartridge" is out). (By the way, it's a Epson Stylus Color 480 on parallel)

My question(s) is: With no ink at all (black cartridge) does the printer set's herself erroneous disabling comunication with mtink (and CUPS)? Do I need to replace the ink cartridges before they become completely empty? In that case I'll have to boot Windows in order to change this black cartridge, so that i can use the printer in Linux? (I tried to setup the printer's drivers in vmware but i can't get access to the parallel port (/dev/lp0): they only allow /dev/parport0 wich doesn't work for me (device not found...bla bla), maybe i need ppdev.o).

Lunesea did you exchanged the cartridge(s) on windows or via mtink? Did anyone?

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## xfze

I compiled the module ppdev.o and now the parallel port works in vmware. The printer is fine, the only problem epson status monitor reports it's the black cartridge's lack of ink  :Smile: 

In the weekend when i get a black cartridge i'll try to make it work with CUPS (and mtink).

By the way: Aren't the linux printer drivers reversed engineered? If so wouldn't the speed and/or quality (or something else) of impressions be better if used the printer with original epson drivers under XP (vmware)? I already use vmware, so it's just a matter of adding one more "printer via samba" to CUPS. That way I would print to a networked printer, connected to same pc  :Very Happy: 

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## xfze

I've bought the black ink and now everything works (in vmware-XP and in gentoo-linux via CUPS)

The mtink doesn't work...but anyway I have vmware and i can use the original epson status monitor  :Smile: 

Just one question remaining...Is it better to use the Windows drivers? (In my case it's preety easy, just have to use the printer via CUPS-Samba "connecting it" in the windows of vmware I already have)

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