How to remind myself: Care to print something?

[michaa7]

I do not print much, but when I need to it now repeatedly happened that the cartridge was dried up.

So now I would like to remind me to print something every once in a while (not too often), once a week, after 10 days or so. A notification should pop-up (should work under fluxbox DE) something like:

Care to print something?

(to avoid drying up of the ink cartridge)

I know, this cries "cronjob", but even after reading the cronjob syntax remains quite obscure to me.

Anyone who can give a hint?

[Smon]

#!/bin/bash

file=~/.reminder

if [ ! -f "$file" ]; then
   echo a > "$file";
fi

if [ `cat "$file"` != `date +%V` ]; then
   date +%V > "$file"
   zenity --info --text "Druck du Schlamper";
fi

You have to "apt-get install zenity", then put the content above in a file, make it executable (chmod +x FILE) and finally put it in autostart.

It should remind you every monday once.

[absolut]

probably the at scheduler is what you might like...

Code Select Expand

apt-cache show at


http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/05/04/how-to-schedule-tasks-on-linux-using-the-at-command/

[michaa7]

Thanks to both of you, will look into it.

@ Smon
"zenity --info --text "Druck du Schlampe"; "
was quite right, exept in my case it should read "Druck du Schlamper" ;-')

[JustDebian]

I do not print much, but when I need to it now repeatedly happened that the cartridge was dried up.

My solution for my Canon i560 was to remove the cartridge, cap it, then submerge it in a container of water. I filled an empty cartridge with alcohol then inserted it into the cartridge slot - ran head cleaning process to get alcohol into the print head.

This preserves the good ink and keeps the print head from getting clogged (had to replace the head once at a cost more than the printer).  

[michaa7]

@ JustDebian

Good suggestion. For Canon printers. HP printers have ink cartridge and print head in one piece.

[JustDebian]

@ JustDebian

Good suggestion. For Canon printers. HP printers have ink cartridge and print head in one piece.

That is true. Lexmark (at least the older) cartridges are also one-piece. I have seen people wrap these cartridges in aluminum foil then put them in a refrigerator or freezer then warm them some hours before needing to print.

However, putting a one-piece cartridge in a ziplock plastic bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, then putting it into a sealed container (with or without water) should keep out enough air to reduce drying out.

I know that ink is expensive and running head cleaning or unnecessary printing to prevent drying also uses ink. It cost me a print head and several ink cartridges before I started to experiment with different ways to save ink and print heads.

I am sure that you will find something that works for you.

Cheers.

[Smon]

@ Smon
was quite right, exept in my case it should read "Druck du Schlamper" ;-')

Yeah, sure, sorry, my fault, I corrected it :'-D

[michaa7]

Yeah, sure, sorry, my fault, I corrected it :'-D

That was not my intention, "Druck du Schlampe" is right, too, but "Schlampe" and "Schlamper" have completely different meanings.