Changing the printing defaults to print in Black and White - CUPS vs plist mcx

I need to change the defaults for all printers to print to black and white unless the user wants to change it. I found this post which describes editing presets and using the last preset.


It also describes using CUPS  which does have a command line utility. I do love the http://localhost:631/ interface though! To change the defaults of the printer using this, simply:

1. Go to http://localhost:631/ in a web browser
2. Click "Printers" tab at the top left
3. Click the printer you want to change the preferences for
4. Change:

1.  "Administration" to "Set Default Options"
5. For the Dell Colour Laserjet 3110:

1. Click "Print Quality Colour"
2. Under "Output Colour" change "Colour" to "Black"

To change the Default to Black for the Dell Colour Laser 3110 you could alternatively:

1. Go to folder /etc/cups/ppd/
2. edit the nameofprinter.ppd
3. edit the line:
1. *DefaultDLColorMode: Color
4. change to
1. *DefaultDLColorMode: Black

Done. You just have to find the right line and syntax for all the other types of printers you manage

For not using CUPS, and changing things through plist files and Workgroup Manager, you have to :

1. Set a preset up in the GUI. I called mine "Black and White"
2. Load up Workgroup manager and import the file com.apple.print.cusompresets
3. I deleted all the other presets I had in this file
4. I changed the com.apple.print.lastPresetPref section to "Black and White"
5. Also to change the com.apple.print.lastPresetPrefType section and change a number so it uses the new preset you've just made. (note - I couldn't find this in the plist file!)

PaperCut print quotas for staff and students on different domains

We're now implementing a print quota for both Students and Staff. The only real issue we have come across is how to seperate the staff from the students.

We initially had the system so that whenever anyone printed to the system, it would add their account to PaperCut, setting their credit to £2.00 and limiting them to that quota. For staff we simply went through the list and unticked "limit account".

Now we are giving students £1.00 per week and Staff £2.00 per week. It was a while ago so I can't remember specifically, but I remember having to set up a group in the staff domain with staff members from the department in, and a group in the student domain which had the group in the staff domain in it. I think this was because with PaperCut NG you couldn't import groups from different domains.

I didn't have access to staff domain to add new members so computer services have added me as some sort of read/write user. I am writing here how I can add members to the group so as to not forget:

1. Load up outlook
2. search for users and groups
3. Open ArtDesignStaff group
4. Modify Members
5. Then click the Add button

Sorted!

Now, every week I simply:

1. Click Bulk User Actions
2. Click:
1. All Users
2. Whose balance is less than £1.00
3. Set credit to
4. £1.00
5. Apply
3. Click Bulk User Actions
4. Click:
1. ArtStaffPrintList
2. Whose balance is less than £1.00
3. Set credit to
4. £2.00
5. Apply

It appears that PaperCut does update the groups. I checked it 18 hours later (the next day) and the new users were registered as being in the ArtStaffPrintList group.

Cheers

Toshiba Satellite U400 lights always on

A member of staff brought in their laptop which I'd fixed just the other day (they'd accidentally switched the wireless off). She was saying how the lights for the "soft keys" at the top of the keyboard were always on.

I thought this wasn't so much of a problem, but actually it probably wouldn't be too good wasting the battery so much. I looked into it. At first I thought it was set up through the BIOS. I found an "Illumition" setting mentioned in this post so I had a look. I switched it off. This had no effect though.

My next guess was to look into windows and the many Toshiba apps that they put on. These were all rubbish but found one which let you change the same setting in the BIOS.

I found it mentioned that it might be due to a Microsoft Update so I took it through System Restore to undo all the updates. This didn't have any effect either.

Finally I thought of taking the battery out and putting it back in (just to see what it looked like with the buttons not light up). Once I'd put the battery back in, the lights didn't light up. In fact they'd stopped lighting up altogether!

I rebooted a few times and it looks like it worked. I even turned on "Illumination" and the lights came back on. And on switching it off they turned off, beautiful.

So in conclusion. Just take the battery out and put it back in again. Also disconnect from power source.

Fixed.

Cheers.

Printing on the Epson Stylus Pro 7600

It is best to work from a ready-made local login on this machine:

Username: Print
Password: print

Load your picture up into Photoshop. You need to make sure it is the right size so in the menu's, slelect Image > Image Size. You can change the height or width to what you want.

Photoshop's "Image Size" dialogue box

Now you can go to - File > Print

1. Select the printer named: N239 - Epson Stylus Pro 7600
2. Click on the Page setup and select the right page size (for roll select Super A1) or create a Custom Paper Size (see next image)
3. Click on the orientation of the page
4. Change the size of the picture by dragging the corners or using the numbers
5. Click on Print to get to the next dialogue box

Photoshop's "Print" dialogue box

1. Select the printer named: N239 - Epson Stylus Pro 7600
2. Select the right Paper Size. If it is not in the list create a custom paper size (see next image)
3. Change the "Copies and Pages" option to "Print Settings"
4. Change the "Media Type" to the appropriate setting
5. Change Print Quality to "Superfine - 1440"
6. Click "Save" to print, BUT check the printer is OK first (next image)

Epson Stylus Pro 7600 print dialogue box

1. To make a new custom paper size click the "+"
2. If you're printing on the A1+ roll paper make sure the width is 61.55 cm
3. Name it something appropriate
4. Click OK once the Paper Size is right 

OS X "Custom Paper Sizes" dialogue box

1. Switch it on
2. Check it is on either "Roll with Autocut" or "Sheet" depending upon what you are printing on
3. Release the handle and fee paper in
4. Make sure it is straight and then close the handle
5. Press the Pause button if asked

It should now feed the paper through and check out if its straight. If you get an error message, feed the sheet in again , double checking if it's straight.

Epson Stylus Pro 7600 panel instructions

Now, if it starts printing something and you haven't sent anything to print it is probably someone else's print, in which case hold the Pause button for 3 seconds that should cancel the job. Also check the print queue by clicking on the print shortcut at the bottom of the screen.

When you're sure everything is good, on the computer - press PRINT

CD and DVD drives "Device cannot start" error 10 in device manger - Windows

A member of staff brought in their PC today saying that the DVD drives (there are two) don't work.

Looking in Device manager I found that both DVD drives were down as CD drives and in the details it says something along the lines of:
The device cannot start error 10

My first idea was to do with Master and Slave jumper switches on the back of the DVD drives. Tried all the combinations. For some the drives came up as their actual names, but still came up with the error message.

After this I did a system restore to its' earliest point. Still no luck.

I finally thought it had to do with iTunes. I've experienced it before, when installing iTunes the CD drive stops working in Windows. I had a search around on google and found this forum. It seemed promising and pointed towards this Microsoft troubleshooting guide.

Also, another tutorial is here from Apple who admit the problem.

Although this was to do with Windows XP and error 31 I found other forums mentioning the registry and "Upper Filters" and "Lower Filters". I deleted the UpperFilter registry entry mentioned and it worked a treat.

Basically:

1. load up Regedit by going to Start > Run > Regedit
2. go to:
1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
3. delete the UpperFilter, usually at the bottom
4. Reboot the machine

Done

Upgrading and imaging iPads (or any IOS device)

Thought I'd document the technique I use for managing the iPads in an Academic environment.

Using this technique you can backup an iPad and restore it to all your other iPads.


A point to note is that you cannot restore an IOS 5 "Backup" onto an IOS 4 iPad. You will need to manually update the iPad to IOS 5 first.

Right click (or CTRL click) on the IOS device on the list on the left

Create an image from a "Master" iPad (called "backup")

1. Get your iPad exactly how you want it
2. Plug it into iTunes
3. Right click on the IOS device in the list on the left
4. Click "Backup"

Restore an image onto IOS device

1. Plug IOS device in to iTunes 
2. Plug it into iTunes
3. Right click on the IOS device in the list on the left
4. Click "Restore from Backup"

If the IOS version is the same, it should list all the "Backups" or images that have been taken. Select the one you want.

Scanning on the Canon LiDE 60 Scanner on OS X 10.6

Go to Applications > Image Capture

1. Click on the scanner in the top left
2. Click "Show Details"

3. Check that the details are correct (300 dpi is good)
4. Click "Scan"