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NewMacie2012

Q: How to get draft mode to be available for selection on Epson printer?

There is a selection bar with draft mode on it but it is grey and cannot be selected.  What do I have to do to make it available for selection?  I have tried updating the driver already.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Apr 26, 2014 10:07 PM

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Q: How to get draft mode to be available for selection on Epson printer?

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  • by greg sahli,Helpful

    greg sahli greg sahli Apr 27, 2014 6:18 AM in response to NewMacie2012
    Level 7 (25,395 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 6:18 AM in response to NewMacie2012

    Here's what I had to do:

    1) Open Safari browser and go to "localhost:631"

    This takes you to the CUPS (print control system on OS X) internal admin web page. Yes, it's on your computer.

    2) If it doesn't work, you will need to open a Terminal Utility window and type this command:

    sudo cupsctl WebInterface=yes

    It asks for your admin password - and hides it from view, so you have to type "blind."

    3) Go to the Printers tab. Click on your Epson. In the small pull-down menu Administration, select Set Default Options.

    4) In the first page that comes up "General Options," make your changes. (hope I remember what I changed) I set Advanced (bottom of page) to ON, then Color - Black; Mode - Advanced; Custom - Custom settings; Print Quality - Economy. Then to make it stick, go to the next page "Options Installed," and click Set Default Options.

    5) Done.

  • by folksong,

    folksong folksong Apr 27, 2014 8:24 AM in response to NewMacie2012
    Level 1 (120 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 8:24 AM in response to NewMacie2012

    I can't say for certain your print window and options will be exactly the same as those for my Epson WorkForce, but you shouldn't have to use the CUPS web intereface.

     

    The standard print window does show that the Print Quality is greyed out --

    print window1.png

    Although the Print Quality is greyed out, the Quality -> Speed slider is active.  Sliding the the selector to the right to Speed will change the Print Quality to Fast Economy --

    print window2.png

    If you want more control, you can select the Advanced radio button and then the Print Quality pop up menu becomes active --

    print draft.png

    Hope this helps.

  • by NewMacie2012,

    NewMacie2012 NewMacie2012 Apr 27, 2014 10:35 AM in response to folksong
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 10:35 AM in response to folksong

    Thank you Folksong, but I don't have a Quality slide bar nor the Advanced button.  If I did your suggestion would have help.  Thanks anyway

  • by NewMacie2012,

    NewMacie2012 NewMacie2012 Apr 27, 2014 10:47 AM in response to greg sahli
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 10:47 AM in response to greg sahli

    This looks promising, but how do I undo this if it does not work?  I typed in "sudo cupsctl WebInterface=yes" on the terninal and I got the following:

     

    WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss

    or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your

    typing when using sudo. Type "man sudo" for more information.

     

     

     

     

    I don't want to do something I cannot undo if it does not work. Since I am not a programmer, I am very unsure.

  • by NewMacie2012,Helpful

    NewMacie2012 NewMacie2012 Apr 27, 2014 12:35 PM in response to greg sahli
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 12:35 PM in response to greg sahli

    I took the plunge and tried your suggestion but my printer does not have the Advance button.  As you can see from below.

     

    00 1 window.png

     

    I guess I will not be able to print in draft mode.  I tried to change the Quality but only had Normal and High options.

    Thank you for your help!   If you can think of anything else I can try, I will appreciate the help.

  • by greg sahli,

    greg sahli greg sahli Apr 27, 2014 1:58 PM in response to NewMacie2012
    Level 7 (25,395 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 1:58 PM in response to NewMacie2012

    Thanks for the image.

    What choices do you have in "Quality?" I would guess you have "economy" available.

    That may be the only thing you can change.

    My Epson driver version is the same, but my model is R200. So, I guess there are differences.

    Good luck.

     

    PS - everyone gets the "sudo" warning the first time they use it. sudo just puts you in "admin" mode. There is a five minute auto limit so you won't be in "admin" mode more than that. The only issue would be if you turned your computer over to another person while in that mode.

  • by NewMacie2012,

    NewMacie2012 NewMacie2012 Apr 27, 2014 2:25 PM in response to greg sahli
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 2:25 PM in response to greg sahli

    I had only 2 choices in "Quality":

    Normal

    High

     

    So I guess I don't have the draft option.  Thanks for your help!

  • by greg sahli,

    greg sahli greg sahli Apr 27, 2014 5:19 PM in response to NewMacie2012
    Level 7 (25,395 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 5:19 PM in response to NewMacie2012

    That's a shame...

    Sorry I couldn't get you there.

  • by folksong,

    folksong folksong Apr 27, 2014 6:14 PM in response to NewMacie2012
    Level 1 (120 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 6:14 PM in response to NewMacie2012

    NewMacie2012 wrote:

     

    Thank you Folksong, but I don't have a Quality slide bar nor the Advanced button.  If I did your suggestion would have help.  Thanks anyway

    OK.  I loaded the driver for the Artisan 730 based on the printer in your image.  The Print Quality settings available to you are going to change based on the type of paper you select.  For Plain Paper, Draft is indeed grayed out.  However, Economy and Fast Economy should be available do the equivalent to Draft.

     

    If you select some of the other paper types like Photo Paper Glossy, you should see that Draft is one of only a few choices available.

     

    As long as you don't get hung up on the "names" of the Quality choices, I think you can pick an appropriate Quality from the choices based on the type of paper you have selected.

  • by greg sahli,

    greg sahli greg sahli Apr 27, 2014 8:19 PM in response to folksong
    Level 7 (25,395 points)
    Apr 27, 2014 8:19 PM in response to folksong

    Hope that works!

    Thought of another workaround. You can install the Gutenprint drivers and add the printer, a second instance, and make it draft by default.

    http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php

  • by djkokalis,

    djkokalis djkokalis Jun 9, 2015 12:25 AM in response to greg sahli
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 9, 2015 12:25 AM in response to greg sahli

    When i am trying to save it asks for a username and password. What's the username and pass? I tried admin and admin but they are wrong

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jun 9, 2015 9:52 AM in response to djkokalis
    Level 9 (69,881 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 9, 2015 9:52 AM in response to djkokalis

    System Preferences/Users & Groups - your account name is your user name. If you unlock the padlock, you can change your password.

  • by djkokalis,

    djkokalis djkokalis Jun 10, 2015 12:27 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 10, 2015 12:27 AM in response to Eric Root

    I already tried my acount name and password but it's not correct. What i am doing wrong? If i may i am attaching a screenshot. The username and password is asked after trying to save the default options

     

    screenshot.png

  • by greg sahli,

    greg sahli greg sahli Jun 11, 2015 5:37 AM in response to djkokalis
    Level 7 (25,395 points)
    Jun 11, 2015 5:37 AM in response to djkokalis

    As far as I know, you enter an admin username and password (usually the first username and password you put in when you install OS X). Maybe the username and password you've tried isn't the admin?

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