MTINKD(8)

💖 MTINKD(8) — the mtinkd glow-up 💖

okay bestie, sit down, hydrate, because today we're talking about mtinkd — the daemon that controls your EPSON printer. yes, that one. she's giving main character energy and honestly? we're obsessed. ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

mtinkd — daemon to control your EPSON printer 🖨️💅

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

mtinkd [-dev device_file] [-name model] [-usbbase pattern_device_file]
       [-nodaemaon] [-model model_name] [-debug] [[start] | [stop] |
       [status]]

(yes, -nodaemaon is spelled like that in the synopsis and -debug is vibing in there too, we don't make the rules, we just report them 💀)

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so this manual page documents the mtinkd command briefly, which is giving "we'll tell you enough and nothing more" energy, and honestly, respect. 🫶

real talk: this manual page was written for the Debian GNU/Linux distribution because the original program does not have a manual page. not me filling in the gaps bestie, but okay, someone had to. 💅

mtinkd is a status monitor for EPSON ink jet printer. 🌈

it permits one to watch the remaining ink while printing. yes. the ink. the sacred juice. you can literally watch it. 👑

and here's the part where you need to pay attention, no cap: as it keeps /dev/lp* open, you have to change your printing parameter to link the printer to /var/run/mtink/printer. that's not optional, that's the vibe check. ⚠️

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💅 OPTIONS 💅

these programs follow the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (`-`). a summary of options is included below. okay so, options for mtinkd, let's go:

• -dev device_file — this option is mandatory, bestie, no skipping. it's also used in order to get the status or to stop a running server. device_file is the name of the character device on which the printer is attached — like /dev/lp0, /dev/usb/lp0, or /dev/ecpp0. know your device, love your device. 🔌
• -nodaemon — this option is for test purpose. without this option, mtink start in the background. so basically, -nodaemon is the "i want to watch what's happening with my own two eyes" mode. 🙈
• -name model — if the printer don't return it identity, you may tell which printer is attached. the name is derived from the official name and space characters are to be replaced by the _ character. this will be the case for the Stylus Scan 2500 (model name is Scan_2500). 👀

this option may also be useful for multifunction device as the Stylus Photo 895 under Linux. here's the tea though: if the printer is powered off and then on, the usb kernel will not detect the printer properly, and mtinkd must be at least stopped and started again. periodt. 🔄

• -model model_name — the name of the named pipe will be set according to this name. and heads up: if the -model option is not given, mtinkd will terminate if the identification returned don't comply with passed name. she does not play. 💀
• -usbbase — this option requires a special system call which is only implemented into newer kernels. 🧚

the -type name option is required ! 🚨

path and device file base may be /usr/usblp or /usr/usb/lp. all device files matching whith the passed name will be scanned for the wanted printer, the device file will then be used later. 🔍

if the kernel don't support the special call, scanning will fail and if the -dev device_file option was given, the given device file name will then be used. fallback queen. 👑

• start — the server will be started. start may be ommited. ⭐
• stop — an running server will be stopped. 🛑
• status — this allow to ask if a server is running. just a little check-in, as a treat. 💖

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📜 LICENSE 📜

this manual page was written by Sylvain Le Gall <gildor@debian.org> for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others). permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License, Version 2.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; considering as source code all the file that enable the production of this manpage. iconic, honestly. 🎀

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👀 SEE ALSO 👀

• /usr/share/doc/mtink/html/index.html

go read it bestie, iykyk. 📚

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🌟 AUTHOR 🌟

• Sylvain Le Gall <gildor@debian.org> — Author.

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🎀 COPYRIGHT 🎀

Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Sylvain Le Gall

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and that's the whole page, bestie! 🫶 this one came from the [FIXME: source] crew and is dated Nov 17, 2006, so it's giving vintage but make it functional. now go check that ink level. 🌈💜