Printout Displacement in Epson Printers with CUPS

Support knowledgebase (jsmeix_print-cups-epson-81)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Version 8.1

Symptom

In some Epson printers, documents are printed in a wrong position when using CUPS. For example, the printout is displaced upwards 16 mm on an Epson Stylus C80. Some other Epson printers might also be affected.

If the displacement occurs only in printouts of ASCII texts when using CUPS, refer to the SDB article "Print Settings for ASCII Texts with CUPS" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/mmichna_cups_margins.html).

Cause

You have used one of the following PPD files when setting up your Epson Stylus C80:
/usr/share/cups/model/Epson/Stylus_C80-gimp-print.ppd.gz
/usr/share/YaST2/data/printerdb/Stylus_C80-gimp-print.ppd
(the latter if the printer has been set up with YaST2).

The printer driver "Gimpprint" is used for both PPD files. This is started by the printing filter "cupsomatic" in the form of the Ghostscript driver "stp" to create the printer-specific data. This is the cause of the printout's displacement.

Solution

For Epson Stylus C80 printers, use the PPD file
/usr/share/cups/model/stp/escp2-c80.ppd.gz

The "Gimpprint" printer driver is also used for this PPD file, but it is started in the form of the CUPS driver "/usr/lib/cups/filter/rastertoprinter", which does not cause any displacement.

If you use YaST2, proceed as described in the SDB article "Printer Configuration with SuSE Linux 8.1" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/jsmeix_print-einrichten-81.html) in the section 

       When the printer model is manually selected, any PPD file
       can be used instead of a preconfiguration...

Always use the same PPD file when setting up different queues "mono", "color", "photo", etc., but modify it as described in the SDB article "Print Settings with CUPS" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/jsmeix_print-cups-options.html) -- defining the default values for each queue according to the requested print mode.

As for other Epson printers, select the suitable PPD file from
/usr/share/cups/model/stp/escp2-XXX.ppd.gz
(escp2-XXX is an abbreviation of the model name).
A list of abbreviations and model names (according to "man gs-stp") follows: 

       escp2-c20sx      EPSON Stylus C20SX
       escp2-c20ux      EPSON Stylus C20UX
       escp2-c40sx      EPSON Stylus C40SX
       escp2-c40ux      EPSON Stylus C40UX
       escp2-c60        EPSON Stylus C60
       escp2-c70        EPSON Stylus C70
       escp2-c80        EPSON Stylus C80
       escp2            EPSON Stylus Color
       escp2-pro        EPSON Stylus Color Pro
       escp2-pro-xl     EPSON Stylus Color Pro XL
       escp2-400        EPSON Stylus Color 400
       escp2-440        EPSON Stylus Color 440
       escp2-460        EPSON Stylus Color 460
       escp2-480        EPSON Stylus Color 480
       escp2-500        EPSON Stylus Color 500
       escp2-580        EPSON Stylus Color 580
       escp2-600        EPSON Stylus Color 600
       escp2-640        EPSON Stylus Color 640
       escp2-660        EPSON Stylus Color 660
       escp2-670        EPSON Stylus Color 670
       escp2-680        EPSON Stylus Color 680
       escp2-740        EPSON Stylus Color 740
       escp2-760        EPSON Stylus Color 760
       escp2-777        EPSON Stylus Color 777
       escp2-800        EPSON Stylus Color 800
       escp2-850        EPSON Stylus Color 850
       escp2-860        EPSON Stylus Color 860
       escp2-880        EPSON Stylus Color 880
       escp2-83         EPSON Stylus Color 83
       escp2-900        EPSON Stylus Color 900
       escp2-980        EPSON Stylus Color 980
       escp2-1160       EPSON Stylus Color 1160
       escp2-1500       EPSON Stylus Color 1500
       escp2-1520       EPSON Stylus Color 1520
       escp2-3000       EPSON Stylus Color 3000
       escp2-photo      EPSON Stylus Photo
       escp2-700        EPSON Stylus Photo 700
       escp2-ex         EPSON Stylus Photo EX
       escp2-720        EPSON Stylus Photo 720
       escp2-750        EPSON Stylus Photo 750
       escp2-780        EPSON Stylus Photo 780
       escp2-785        EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX
       escp2-790        EPSON Stylus Photo 790
       escp2-810        EPSON Stylus Photo 810
       escp2-820        EPSON Stylus Photo 820
       escp2-870        EPSON Stylus Photo 870
       escp2-875        EPSON Stylus Photo 875
       escp2-890        EPSON Stylus Photo 890
       escp2-895        EPSON Stylus Photo 895
       escp2-950        EPSON Stylus Photo 950
       escp2-1200       EPSON Stylus Photo 1200
       escp2-1270       EPSON Stylus Photo 1270
       escp2-1280       EPSON Stylus Photo 1280
       escp2-1290       EPSON Stylus Photo 1290
       escp2-2000       EPSON Stylus Photo 2000P
       escp2-2100       EPSON Stylus Photo 2100
       escp2-2200       EPSON Stylus Photo 2200
       escp2-5000       EPSON Stylus Pro 5000
       escp2-5500       EPSON Stylus Pro 5500
       escp2-7000       EPSON Stylus Pro 7000
       escp2-7500       EPSON Stylus Pro 7500
       escp2-7600       EPSON Stylus Pro 7600
       escp2-9000       EPSON Stylus Pro 9000
       escp2-9500       EPSON Stylus Pro 9500
       escp2-9600       EPSON Stylus Pro 9600
       escp2-10000      EPSON Stylus Pro 10000
       escp2-scan2000   EPSON Stylus Scan 2000
       escp2-scan2500   EPSON Stylus Scan 2500
See also:
o Printer Configuration with SuSE Linux 8.1
o Print Settings with CUPS
o Print Settings for ASCII Texts with CUPS
Keywords: PRINT, PRINTER, CUPS, 81, 8.1, EPSON, C80
Categories: Printer
Feedback welcome: Send Mail to jsmeix@suse.de (Please give the following subject: SDB-jsmeix_print-cups-epson-81)
SDB-jsmeix_print-cups-epson-81, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 28. Nov 2002
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 02. Jul 2003 by ip (sdb_gen 1.40.0)