(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Posted: **Sat 16 Feb 2008, 19:01**

Here is a GUI to check the ink level of your printer. By default it looks for a printer plugged into the usb port, but this can be easily changed (see below)

This is based on two programs (included):

Ink - http://ink.sourceforge.net/
Libinklevel - http://libinklevel.sourceforge.net/ (supported/unsupported printers listed here)

To have the script look at the parallel port open /usr/bin/inkgui in a text editor and change "usb" to "parport"

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
# Program to display inklevel
ink -p usb > /tmp/inklevel
gxmessage -file /tmp/inklevel -title "Ink Level"
rm /tmp/inklevel

More options can be found by running the command "ink" from the command line.

There is a menu entry under "System" called "InkGUI"

JB

P.S. There are probably better ways to do this so input is welcome.

Posted: **Sat 16 Feb 2008, 19:45**

Good for all non epson printers users (they have already a utility escpgui, other now also have, thanks to you) mirrored on dokupuppy:

dokupuppylinux.info/programs:printers_utilities

Posted: **Wed 15 Oct 2008, 01:44**

Lovely!

Works fine on 2.17.1 with HP AllInOne.

Should be included in Puppy distro.

Posted: **Sun 08 Apr 2012, 13:38**

was looking for an easy way to install or compile hp-levels puppylinux saluki, but i failed miserably: found this...

inkgui works out of the box and flawlessly on a 5 colourcartridge photosmart printer
thx for this 2012!

Posted: **Thu 10 May 2012, 13:56**

I have updated InkGUI to the most recent (2010) version. Look for its menu entry under System Status and Config.

It will now check for multiple USB printers and parallel printers.

In my tests, it works well with HP, Canon and older Epson printers. New Epson printers report ink levels of 105%. It doesn't work with Brother printers.

For another Epson maintenance tool, read here.

Posted: **Fri 31 Jan 2014, 20:09**

Just some feedback

It does not work for my MG 2220.

I shows 0 % when the cartridge is full.

Andy

Posted: **Fri 14 Mar 2014, 13:30**

Hi rcrsn51,

Thank you for this handy utility.

I was noticing on my Epson that it would take some time to respond back to the script so the script would just pop up a "no printers found" message instead.

I would have to click the inkgui a few interations before It would give a message with the ink levels. After adding a "sleep 3" delay, It started to work more reliably.

To make sure the user knows to wait a few seconds I also popped up a initial "Checking Ink Levels" message first.

Here is the tweaked script for your reference. I added comments where I made the tweaks.

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
# Program to display printer ink levels
# v01 by JB4x4 2008-02-16
# v02 by rcrsn51 2012-05-10

#--- message displayed while script runs---
gxmessage -center $noborder -buttons "" -bg lightblue "  Checking Ink Levels" &
pid=$! 

rm -f /tmp/inklevel.txt

for P in `ls /dev/usb/lp*`; do
  ink -d $P > /tmp/inktemp.txt
  if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    cat /tmp/inktemp.txt >> /tmp/inklevel.txt
    echo >> /tmp/inklevel.txt
  fi
done

ink -p parport > /tmp/inktemp.txt
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
  cat /tmp/inktemp.txt >> /tmp/inklevel.txt 
fi

# wait for response from printer before displaying
sleep 3 

# delete the first message
kill $pid 

[ -f /tmp/inklevel.txt ] || echo "No printers found" >  /tmp/inklevel.txt

# Center message
gxmessage -center -file /tmp/inklevel.txt -title "InkGUI"

All the Best

OverDrive

Posted: **Fri 14 Mar 2014, 13:35**

BTW, For anyone else looking at this tweak. This is for the inkgui script located in /usr/local/bin/

OverDrive

Posted: **Tue 19 Aug 2014, 21:30**

About an hour ago I posted a message at http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=95347 that is related with this subject

Sorry. for not having discovered this thread before.
I will try to study it but because I have no knowledge about scripting I will be surely asking for your help soon.

Thank you for having created this thread!!

P.S:

JB4x4 wrote:Here is a GUI to check the ink level of your printer.

If text-based/command line resources are available and are easier to carry out please let me know!

I have been searching but couldn't find them

Posted: **Wed 20 Aug 2014, 04:33**

Wow!!

My problem was solved in a simpler way than the one I had imagined!!
After reading JB4x4's first post and visiting some of the links he posted, I thought that because my knowledge about scripting was practically nil, I would never make it without asking a lot of questions and begging for help.
So I decided to browse through the rest of the messages to get an idea of the number of questions I would have to make and the number of times I would have to call for help.
In doing so I came upon rcrsn51's message and attachment.
I curiously clicked on the attachment and 5 minutes later I had inkGUI working perfectly.
Thank you rcrsn51!!. My problem is solved.

Posted: **Wed 05 Nov 2014, 17:05**

A rather large bump, but does anyone have an idea why libinklevel always reports over 100% for my Epson sx205?

It needs one or more cartridges replacing at present (so I can't print) but the output is:

Code: Select all

EPSON Stylus SX200

Cyan:                         105%
Magenta:                      105%
Yellow:                       119%
Photoblack:                   105%

Thanks,

Paul

Posted: **Thu 06 Nov 2014, 13:13**

PaulR wrote:A rather large bump, but does anyone have an idea why libinklevel always reports over 100% for my Epson sx205?

I made the same observation about Epson printers here.

Have you tried the other Epson maintenance tool - escputil?

Posted: **Fri 07 Nov 2014, 20:19**

Thanks for the reply. I've tried escputil in the past with no success but I'll give it another whirl.

Paul.

Posted: **Fri 07 Nov 2014, 20:53**

I ran "escputil -M" in Slacko 56 and it claims to support your Stylus SX200.

Posted: **Tue 27 Sep 2016, 18:00**

Version: v0.3.1 (OverDrive's Tweak with Newest Library)
Type of OS: Trusty Tahr|PAE Build

Posted: **Tue 27 Sep 2016, 18:17**

Yeah, but is the old version still accurate?

Posted: **Tue 27 Sep 2016, 22:39**

Semme wrote:Yeah, but is the old version still accurate?

Of course,because I had a problem with Tweaked GUI from OverDrive... (Not detected at GUI,but in Library can be detects fine.)
When can be replace if be at oldest version (GUI) doesn't be had problems anyway...

Posted: **Tue 27 Sep 2016, 23:16**

Your lingo's tough to decipher. Your native tongue?

Posted: **Sat 16 Dec 2017, 22:14**

G'day,

Is there an inkgui or similar useful application that will report the ink level in an inkjet printer that is on a home network?

I can get the ink levels for my networked Epson multifunction printer if also I plug it into a USB cable but it's 'Printer not found' when unplugged.

I've just replaced my (broken

) cheap XP-200 with an even cheaper WF-2510 ($29! Who said there's no Santa Claus!

) and both were/are fine with the usb-connected inkgui program, but not if just WiFi-ed as network printers.

I don't know if the IP address would be important. My new Epson has been set-up on my network with the same static IP address that the broken printer had been happy with, so the software changeover is being fairly simple, if tedious, across my too-many Pups.

Thanks for any advice.

David S.

Posted: **Sat 16 Dec 2017, 22:23**

WF-2510

This printer has an LCD control panel, does it not?

Does it not show the ink levels?

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

InkGUI v0.1 - A little program to check printer ink level.

InkGUI v0.1 - A little program to check printer ink level.

perfect

Feedback for Canon MG 2220

Sharing a little tweak

I will need your help

InkGUI v0.1 - A little program to check printer ink level.

InkGUI v0.31

Network printer version?