Checking printer Ink Levels

[anonprivate]

I have an Epson Stylus SX 100 printer connected to my pc

In tools, I can clean heads, configure, etc, but I cannot check ink levels.

Is there a method of checking the ink levels?

In addition, I know that it Windows the chipped cartridges cannot be refilled, is this true in kubuntu?

Thanks

[Snowhog]

Whether or not the cartridges can be refilled has nothing to do with the operating system; it has everything to do with the cartridge and the manufacturer of same.

[claydoh]

the utility 'escputil' can be installed to check ink levles on epson printers, though I do not know if every model is supported or not.

For your model printer, all the third-party ink cartridge providers I looked at have the chips on their products so getting something that works should be easy. Refilling these also seems pretty straightforward, if possibly messy (if you are like me).

[anonprivate]

Hi,

I noticed 'escputil' in the 'Muon Package Manager'; it does, however, repeat some of the facilities that I already have in the Epson software, such as cleaning the heads. But, it also checks ink levels. Do you think that there might be a problem with two programmes that perform the same task, such as head cleaning. My guess is that it will be fine because I can only use one at a time. I hope that the SX 100 is supported. If not, I can always uninstall the utility.

Regarding you second point alluding to 'third party cartridges', I believe that you mean that these manufactures have solved the problem of the chip, so they should function. I agree that refilling is straightforward. I am careful to avoid mess.

Best wishes.

[anonprivate]

I have installed escputil

When typing escputil -i, I received the following message:

'Obtaining ink levels requires using a raw device'

I do not understand the following (taken from the 'man' page):

' -r, --raw-device=device
Specify the name of the device to write to directly rather than going through a printer
queue. You must use this (rather than specifying a printer) when retrieving ink levels or
identifying the printer, or if you wish to perform head alignment without specifying the
printer model.'


Can someone advise?

Thanks

Ps. escputil. I assume that es means Epson, and util stands for utility. But what does cp signify

[Snowhog]

es (Epson)
cp (Control Panel)
util (Utility)

That'd be my guess.

what does escputil -d show?

[anonprivate]

ndrew@andrew-Dell-DM061:~$ escputil -d
Escputil version 5.2.10-pre2, Copyright (C) 2000-2006 Robert Krawitz
Escputil comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type 'escputil -l'
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions; type 'escputil -l' for details.

Printer identification requires using a raw device.
andrew@andrew-Dell-DM061:~$

PS. My file system does not contain /dev/usb/lp0. What is the equivalent?

PPS.
andrew@andrew-Dell-DM061:/usr/lib/cups/backend$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 0424:2504 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 003: ID 413c:2003 Dell Computer Corp. Keyboard
Bus 006 Device 002: ID 2188:0ae1
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 04b8:0841 Seiko Epson Corp. PX-401A [ME 300/Stylus NX100]
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Does not list the path to the printer.
What do the codes refer to, e.g. Bus 003 Device 002: ID 04b8:0841

[anonprivate]

I might be making some progress!

First point: What does 'localhost:631/printers/Stylus-SX100 mean?

From the data:

Description:

EPSON Stylus SX100

andrew-Dell-DM061

Epson Stylus SX100 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.2.10-pre2 (color, 2-sided printing)

usb://EPSON/Stylus%20SX100?serial=KQEZ387420&interface=1

job-sheets=none, none media=iso_a4_210x297mm sides=one-sided

Is the path, /EPSON/Stylus... following usb://...in Connection?