NAME

       escputil - maintain Epson Stylus inkjet printers

SYNOPSIS

       escputil [ -P printer | -r device ] [ -m model ] [ -u ] [ -c | -n | -a | -i | -d | -o | -s
       | -l | -M | -h ] [ -q ]

DESCRIPTION

       escputil is a command line utility to perform various maintenance tasks  on  Epson  Stylus
       inkjet printers.  These tasks include head alignment, head cleaning, nozzle check, printer
       identification, and retrieval of ink level from the printer.

OPTIONS

       escputil accepts the following options:

       -P, --printer-name=printer
              Specify the name of the printer to operate on.  The default is the  default  system
              printer.

       -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.

       -m, --model=model
              Specify the precise printer model for head alignment.

       -u, --new
              The printer is a new printer (Stylus Color 740 or newer).

       -c, --clean-head
              Clean the print head.  This can also be performed from the printer front panel.

       -n, --nozzle-check
              Print a nozzle test pattern.  Dirty or clogged nozzles will show  as  gaps  in  the
              pattern.  If you see any gaps, you should run a head cleaning pass or two.

       -a, --align-head
              Align  the  print  head.   CAUTION:  Misuse of this option may result in poor print
              quality and/or damage to the printer.  You must either specify  the  printer  model
              with  the  -m option, or use the raw printer device to allow escputil to detect the
              printer model.

       -i, --ink-level
              Obtain the ink level from the printer.  This requires read/write access to the  raw
              printer device.

       -d, --identify
              Query  the printer for make and model information.  This requires read/write access
              to the raw printer device.

       -o, --align-color
              Align the color print head (used by Stylus  Color  480  and  580  only).   CAUTION:
              Misuse  of  this  option  may  result  in  poor  print quality and/or damage to the
              printer.

       -s, --status
              Retrieve printer status.

       -l, --license
              Display the license/warranty terms of this program.

       -M, --list-models
              List the supported printer models.

       -h, --help
              Display a list of all command line options.

       -q, --quiet
              Suppress the banner.

BUGS

       USB-connected printers sometimes fail to identify or return ink levels.  You may  have  to
       repeat  the  command.   This  is  probably  a  timing issue in escputil, not a flaw in the
       printer.

       Anything requiring bidirectional communication with the printer (identify, ink levels,  or
       head  alignment  without  specifying  the printer model) requires read/write access to the
       printer port (for example /dev/lp0).  This may require these operations to be performed as
       root.  In addition, kernel support is required for bidirectional communication.  For Linux
       version 2.2, CONFIG_PRINTER_READBACK should be enabled; this is called CONFIG_PARPORT_1284
       on 2.4 and later kernels.

       If  the printer is performing self-test or head cleaning on power up, the identify and ink
       level commands will time out, although the printer successfully receives the command.  The
       command will need to be reissued when the printer is quiescent.

AUTHORS

       Robert Krawitz.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright ©  2000 Robert Krawitz (rlk@alum.mit.edu)

       This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of
       the GNU General Public License as  published  by  the  Free  Software  Foundation;  either
       version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

OTHER INFORMATION

       The  homepage of the Gutenprint project from which this utility was contributed is located
       at http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/.

SEE ALSO

       lp(4), tunelp(8).