# Epson Stylus Color (USB) Printer Installation with CUPS

## hulk2nd

OK, here's my summary for the installation because i had several problems to install my epson usb printer with cups and i couldnt find a real solution for my problem and i didnt want to change the device to lpt port. In my case it is an epson c62 printer, so replace some strings according to your printer.

here's my summary, i hope i didn't forget something:

be sure to compile (either as module or into your kernel) the support of your printer connection. parallel port or usb printer support. load modules if necessary.

add "cups" to your "USE-Variables" if it isn't already there

```
nano /etc/make.conf
```

emerge cups and psutils. after that, re-emerge ghostscript;

```
emerge cups

emerge psutils

emerge ghostscript
```

even if it (ghostscript) is already merged, because of a dependency. This removes an error that you often get also after a succesfull installation

```
Unable to convert file 0 to printable format for job x!
```

this error, if it occure, can be found in "/var/log/cups/error_log".

optional for gnome

```
emerge gnome-print
```

download the epson drivers under http://www.epkowa.co.jp/english/linux_e/linux.html, extract and install them

```
tar -xvfz pips-sc61_62s-cups-2.6.2.i386.tar.gz

cd pips-sc61_62s-cups-2.6.2

./configure

make all

make install
```

restart cups if it is already started, else start cups

```
/etc/init.d/cupsd restart
```

else

```
/etc/init.d/cupsd start
```

add printer

```
/usr/sbin/lpadmin -p sc61_62s -E -v ekplp:/var/eklpd/ekplp0 -m eksc61_62s.ppd
```

start setup. if your printer is connected to an usb port, then change "/dev/lp0" to "/dev/usb/lp0". if it is connected to the parallel port, leave it the way it is ("/dev/lp0").

```
/usr/local/EPKowa/SC61_62S/setup
```

add your printer via http if it isn't already done by the installation:

http://localhost:631/

 manage printers -> add printer -> name "sc61_62s -> device: "EPSON Inkjet Printer #1 (Photo Image Print System)" -> make: "EPSON" -> model: "EPSON Stylus C61/C62 Series, Photo Image Print System (en)" 

add the printing demon and cups to the default runlevels

```
rc-update add ekpd default

rc-update add cupsd default
```

im not sure if you have to add them to the default runlevels or to the boot runlevels but default works in my case and i think it even doesnt really matter.

thats it. you should now be able to print the test page.

sorry for my bad english,

greetz, hulk

----------

## ventricle

 *Quote:*   

> add printer
> 
> Code:
> 
> /usr/sbin/lpadmin -p sc61_62s -E -v ekplp:/var/eklpd/ekplp0 -m eksc61_62s.ppd

 

How did you know what this is? I don't see it mentioned in the guide anywhere. I am having trouble getting a C20UX installed.

----------

## hulk2nd

it is somewhere in the installation doc of the driver. the ppd file is the file which cups need to print

----------

## fir3fly

Hi,

for some reason the Epson Driver (or whatever demon) didnt compile here. But finaly the Printer runs fine here with the ppd from www.linuxprinting.org. But only with this one: >>Epson-Stylus_C62-gimp-print-ijs.ppd <<.  

BTW i followed the official Printer Guide up to the point where you make your own ppd which by unknown reason didnt work here ("lsadmin couldnt make a printer queue or something).

With the ppd from linuxprinting everything was easily set up with the cups webadmin and runs fine.

Fir3fly

----------

## Marty[OC]

Hi, 

I have an EPSON C20UX, for which a CUPS driver is not provided, so I decided to try another driver; 

but I always get an "client-error-not-possible" error message, even in the command prompt or in the CUPS webadmin.

Any suggestions? 

well, I may try the lpd driver, but it somehow did not work.. i am quite unexperienced about these devices, even USB... 

I use vanilla-2.4.22 with USB and USB printer support compiled-in.

----------

## ixion

dude, this is awesome... but doesn't work for me.. I have a Stylus C62, and everything seems to go well (installation and such), but the printer only prints garbage (letters on top of themselves over and over). I tried adding my own printer with all kinds of different drivers listed, but same problem.. now the printer doesn't respond to anything...

I'm clueless here.. why did CUPS have to change? Everything worked like a champ with CUPS 1.1.18 + ESPGS (ghostscript) + gimp-print.. now foomatic appears to be in the mix, and nothing works... am I out of luck, here? Do I need to buy a new printer? What is going on here?  :Evil or Very Mad:   :Rolling Eyes:   :Mad:   :Question:   :Question:   :Question: 

oh btw, I can print just fine by copying to /dev/usb/lp0... the problem lies with CUPS or one of its dependants..   :Rolling Eyes: 

edit: I went back through your tutorial (even re-compiling the drivers), and now the printer stops itself. I click 'Start', refresh, it's stopped. Tried emerging gimp-print (with --nodeps), no change..

----------

## ixion

I have found a solution (to my problem at least). The Post:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=82685

I apologize for my earlier frustration, just didn't have the patience. Calming the mind with prayer is a wonderful approach to things.  :Very Happy: 

----------

## ()

Seems like Cups and ekpd won't play ball here, I followed the install instructions exactly for my C82 and everything seems alright in Cups. However, whenever I try to print something to it the job is aborted. The fifo /var/ekpd/ekplp0 exists, and ekpd is running so I don't really get it :\ Any ideas?

----------

## rockandchelle

I know the C82 will definately work because it is identical to the CX5200 when it comes to printing, and I have it working.  If you follow his guide exactly, it should work.  The only thing that may be different is the driver you have to download...

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> tar -xvfz pips-sc61_62s-cups-2.6.2.i386.tar.gz
> 
> cd pips-sc61_62s-cups-2.6.2
> ...

 

The one you will need is  pips-sc82s-cups-2.6.2.tar.gz, you can get it from the same page just fill out the form.  Also, it may be good to go to http://www.linuxprinting.org/ find your printer in the database and download the PPD from the recommended driver list.  I can't quite remember where to put it, but it should tell you.

Then take and go again to the cups page through your browser.  Remove the printer, and then add it again and try a different driver.  I also believe I emerged gimp-print which gave me many more drivers, just keep trying different ones until it works.

Also, is anyone else having this problem or do you have a suggestion.  If I start linux with the printer off, and I want to go to use it I have to reboot for it to be recognized and for me to be able to use it.  Does anyone have a suggestion for this....

----------

## ()

 *rockandchelle wrote:*   

> I know the C82 will definately work because it is identical to the CX5200 when it comes to printing, and I have it working.  If you follow his guide exactly, it should work.  The only thing that may be different is the driver you have to download...
> 
>  *Quote:*   
> 
> tar -xvfz pips-sc61_62s-cups-2.6.2.i386.tar.gz
> ...

 

I have gone through these steps, and since I posted I have managed to get some output. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but sometimes it will start printing and stop after a few lines where the printer's power led starts blinking. So it seems its partially working at least, perhaps its to do with my 2.6 kernel. Actually for the hell of it, I gave it a whirl in the debugger (kdbg), but it would just drop out occasionally. I did find out that the printer daemon receives data through /var/ekpd/ekplp0, and writes to the printer (so at least some data gets through).

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Also, is anyone else having this problem or do you have a suggestion.  If I start linux with the printer off, and I want to go to use it I have to reboot for it to be recognized and for me to be able to use it.  Does anyone have a suggestion for this....

 What port is it on, parallel? Don't remember how it works in that case (I use USB), but it might be the printer has to be on during bootup, in order to be recognized.

----------

## rockandchelle

I have it attached through my USB port.  I was hoping maybe there was someway you could make it rescan the usb devices.  I'm not to sure..I am still somwhat of a noob...

----------

## ()

Dunno really exactly how it works, but it shows up as /dev/usb/lp0 if whenever I plug it in.

Update:

I give up, sigh .... Parts of the daemon is open source, but it seems to fail initiating communication with the printer and that exact part is closed source :\ This might explain the funny behaviour (not that it is closed source). It tries to open a connection to the printer over and over, but says nothing about why it fails. Perhaps its the 2.6 kernel, like I said earlier.

----------

## charlieg

No support for my Stylus Color 850 - only 880 drivers.  :Sad: 

----------

## Tokabola

I'm studying up before I try to install Gentoo, and am using Mandrake 10.0.  Mandrake has a lot of support for Epson printers (I can even monitor ink levels) and I think you should be able to use their epson package in Gentoo.  It's on both the 9.2 and 10.0 Community (GPL) releases, you should be able to google a source RPM at least.  The package is called:

printer-utils-1.0=1.31.mdk

and the app is called; 

mtink (Epson Utilities V 0.9.56)

That and libgimprint and cups should set you up.

Tommy

----------

## yamakawa

I follwed every step until I got error

```
# rc-update add ekpd default

 * /sbin/rc-update: /etc/init.d/ekpd not found; aborting.
```

I checked if there is the script and found ekpd is not in /etc/init.d/.

For the templates, all I have is

```
/usr/local/EPKowa/PXV700/rc.d/ekpd.lsb

/usr/local/EPKowa/PXV700/rc.d/ekpd.debian

/usr/local/EPKowa/PXV700/rc.d/ekpd.redhat

/usr/local/EPKowa/PXV700/rc.d/ekpd.slackware

/usr/local/EPKowa/PXV700/rc.d/ekpd.local.slackware
```

I checked the setup script, /usr/local/EPKowa/PXV700/setup and found the script is distribution-dependent.

Which one of them should I manually install in /etc/init.d/ after renaming it to just "epkd"?

Did the setup script place the correct one in your case?

hulk2nd wrote:

 *Quote:*   

> Code:
> 
> rc-update add ekpd default
> 
> rc-update add cupsd default

 

----------

## nutznboltz

I think this information is a bit out-of-date.

I never got anywhere with that pips driver.

I'm using an Epson Stylus C62.

I did succeed with the advice about adding "cups" and "ppds" to USE= in /etc/make.conf and (re)installing

emerge cups

emerge psutils

emerge ghostscript

emerge gimp-print 

in exactly that order.  I then used the CUPS web front end at http://localhost:631/ and added the printer as:

"EPSON Stylus C62 - CUPS+Gimp-Print v4.2.6"

and all is well and printing fine.

----------

## lmcogs

yamakawa

Did you ever get an answer to your particular question because that's exactly my problem in 2005

lmcogs

----------

## yamakawa

 *lmcogs wrote:*   

> yamakawa
> 
> Did you ever get an answer to your particular question because that's exactly my problem in 2005
> 
> lmcogs

 

No, not yet.

Actually I forgot responding to this question as well as your question.

Sorry about that.   :Embarassed: 

----------

