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

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.

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 --

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 --

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

Hope this helps.

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.

That's a shame...

Sorry I couldn't get you there.

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.

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

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

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

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

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?