[sane-devel] [walterwego at macosx.com: Re: problem with gutenprint 5.1.7]

[Robert Krawitz]

Hi Sane folks,

I'm the project lead for Gutenprint (printer drivers).  We have a user
who's having trouble using Gutenprint with the Epson RX685 using its
OEM driver on Macintosh OS X; should we recommend that people use Sane
on OS X with this printer (and other similar printers) in conjunction
with Gutenprint?  Is there any special advice we should give them in
this regard?  Does scanning work over a network in the kind of
configuration outlined below?

I have an RX580 that works fine with Sane (on Linux); unfortunately,
our OS X expert doesn't have one of these multi-function devices.

(If you have issues with people using Sane with OEM printer drivers
installed, perhaps you might want to point them at Gutenprint.)

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In-Reply-To: <E088BD43-0CEB-4C71-8DE4-A2CF59269B0F at googlemail.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 14:01:14 -0500
To: Mike Garner <mike.nina at googlemail.com>
From: Matt Broughton <walterwego at macosx.com>
Subject: Re: problem with gutenprint 5.1.7
Cc: Robert L Krawitz <rlk at alum.mit.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

At 2:39 PM +0100 9/6/08, Mike Garner wrote:
>Well done - removing Epson scan did the trick. It now prints OK.
>
>So where do we go from here?

Unfortunately, there is no one perfect solution.  If you keep the 
Epson rx685 on the print server, you will have to choose whether you 
want to use it as a scanner or a printer and only have the 
appropriate software installed.

The other choice is to attach the Epson rx685 directly to a Mac 
computer via USB and use only the Epson supplied software for the 
printer and the scanner.  I think you will be able to have other 
computers share the device without problems.  That does mean, 
however, that the Mac the rx685 is connected to must be turned on and 
awake for other computers to access the device.

Regardless of where or how you insert the multifunction machine in 
your network, you cannot use the Gutenprint drivers along with the 
Epson Scan software.

I should note that this is a common problem we see with multifunction 
devices -- at least in Mac OS X.  Part of the problem is the "nature 
of the beast".  The other part of the problem is that most 
manufacturers  write printer drivers that only work when the device 
is directly connected to the Mac computer via USB.

Matt



>On 6 Sep 2008, at 02:47, Matt Broughton wrote:
>
>>  At 7:49 PM +0100 9/5/08, Mike Garner wrote:
>>>  My configuration is:
>>>  Powerbook G4 running osx 10.4.11 with all the updates, connecting 
>>>wifi to DSL wifi modem/router
>>>  Edimax PS-1206MF, connected to the router via ethernet cable, and 
>>>to the printer via USB cable
>>>  Printer is Epson stylus photo rx685, configured on the mac as an 
>>>IP printer.
>>>
>>>  I don't think it is a network problem, as my older epson stylus 
>>>photo R300 configured the same way works OK.
>>>  Also, if I pull the plug when attempting to print on the RX685, I 
>>>get diagnostic error/troubleshooting for the epson SCAN!!
>>>
>>>  Hope this further information helps,
>>
>>  Thank you for the very good description of your installation.  I 
>>do not have an Epson multifunction device or print server to test. 
>>I will do my best to try and troubleshoot your problem.
>>
>>  From your description, I think that the Epson scanning software is 
>>interfering with the printing function.  Typically, scanning 
>>software will listen on the system or probe the scanner for any 
>>indication that a scan request has been made. My *guess* is that 
>>when you try to print with the Gutenprint drivers, the Epson Scan 
>>software detects the activity and "asks" what it is supposed to do. 
>>The Gutenprint drivers know nothing about this and cannot send the 
>>scanning software the proper notice to let it control the printer.
>>
>>  That having been said, let us see if we can get printing to work 
>>or prove that the scanning software is interfering.
>>
>>  First, please double check to make sure that you have the printer 
>>set up correctly as illustrated in the Edimax User Manual.  The 
>>printer should be set up to use the LPD protocol witht he printer 
>>address being 192.168.1.227 and the Queue Name of lpt1.  Please 
>>also verify that you have chosen the correct Gutenprint driver.  If 
>>you go to the web interface for the printing system at 
>><http://127.0.0.1:631/printers/ >, you should see your printer 
>>listed.  You should see the Device URI listed as
>>  Device URI: lpd://192.168.1.100/lpt1
>>
>>  If all those settings have been verified and you are still 
>>experiencing the stalled printing and diagnostic error from the 
>>Epson scan software, try uninstalling the Epson Scan driver.  There 
>>is an Uninstall option when you run the installer.  After you have 
>>removed the Epson Scan software, restart your computer.  Try 
>>printing with the Gutenprint drivers again.  Are you then able to 
>>print?
>>
>>  I realize that the Epson Stylus Photo rx685 is listed in the 
>>Edimax literature as being a supported multifunciton device.  The 
>>Edimax listing, however, only lists compatibility with Windows 
>>Vista. Windows 2000 and Windows XP are not supported operating 
>>systems. There is no mention of Mac OS X at all.  Also, I am sure 
>>that any and all testing the Edimax did was with the driver 
>>supplied by Epson. The Mac OS X drivers from Epson do not support 
>>network printing.
>>
>>
>>
>>  --Matt Broughton
>>  Only relatives are absolute.

- -- 
Matt Broughton
Only relatives are absolute.
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