Care And Feeding

Introduction | Daily Maintenance | Applescript | Variable Media Info

Daily Maintenance

quick links:

• numbered printer diagrams:
  [ 1 (back) ] [ 2 (front) ]
• [ Endnode desktop ]

Quit the Endnode Printing application every evening; you do not need to shut down the computer. Leave Mailsmith running all the time.

Endnode should be rebooted every morning. It's running Mac OS 9.2 and this operating system functions best when the machine reboots now and then. You can simply restart it (select 'restart' from the 'special' menu in the Finder) remotely using Timbuktu (see below). After you restart the computer, start Mailsmith (icon is on the Endnode desktop).

Endnode should be monitored closely during the day. If a problem occurs, quit Endnode Printing until you resolve the problem. If the Endnode computer freezes or crashes you may need to manually restart it with the keyboard. Plug the keyboard into the back of the computer and hit these keys: control-apple (command)-power. The power key is in the upper right corner with the symbol of a triangle on it's side.

* BEFORE YOU START THE SYSTEM CHECK INK AND PAPER LEVELS *

1. Check Paper Levels
You can only check the paper levels visually. Inspect each printer from the ladder and be certain to load each to its capacity. Check the paper levels periodically throughout the day.

2. Check Ink Levels
Check ink levels using the Epson Print Utility. You administer Endnode remotely using Timbuktu (see Using Timbuktu below).

You check ink levels by fist opening the Chooser (under the 'apple' menu). Click on the "C40 series" icon and you will see a list of printers. Ignore the Printer Port and Modem Port icons. You will see USB ports listed ( Shared Stylus 1, USB Port 2, etc), these are the printers. Choose a printer (either go in order 1 to 8 or you can go down the line) and then open a test document (you can use simpletext) and choose "print". In the print dialogue click the "ink level" button (upper right). You will see the ink level in the resulting dialogue. Click cancel to exit the print dialogue. Repeat this process for each printer.

See the Epson "Online Guide" (it's on the maintenance computer) for information on how to check ink and replace ink cartridges. The black ink cartridge is the only ink you will need to change.

3. Start Up
To start the system double-click Endnode Printing on the desktop of the Endnode computer and make sure Mailsmith is running.

4. Using Timbuktu
You remotely administer the Endnode computer using Timbuktu software loaded on another computer on the local network. The software is simple to use. You will be given a username and password that will allow you to remote control the installation computer.

The instructions below are the basics of Timbuktu. If you are maintaining Endnode you should look over the Timbuktu Pro Guide (under the Help menu) to acquaint yourself more fully with the software.

To remotely control the Endnode computer follow these steps.
Note: If you are using a dedicated computer to administer Endnode you may be able to leave it running constantly and not have to repeat these steps everyday.

1. Launch Timbuktu
   To start Timbuktu click on its icon in the upper right of the menu bar and choose open Timbuktu Pro The icon looks like this:
2. Connect to Endnode
   Once the application is running choose new connection from the File menu (the window may already be open). You will see Endnode as an option under the apple tab. Click Endnode and the buttons in the button bar will become active (if the button bar is closed, go to window→show button bar). Click the control button in the button bar and enter the username and password in the dialogue box and click OK.
3. Control Endnode
   In the resulting window you will see the Endnode desktop; it should look similar to this. You can now check ink levels, monitor the print jobs, quit applications, and restart the computer.
   
   NOTE: If you wish to simply monitor Endnode you can use the Look feature. If you need to install software or copy files to Endnode use the Exchange feature.

5. Mailsmith
If you have any problems with Mailsmith check the online documentation here:

Mailsmith FAQ
http://www.barebones.com/cgi-bin/faq/faqlist.pl?Mailsmith

Mailsmith Support Page
http://www.barebones.com/support/mailsmith.html

6. System Maintenance

Error alerts: paper jam, ink levels, or paper out
If the ink or paper runs out or you get a paper jam you will get a warning alert dialogue on the Endnode desktop. The alert doesn't let you know which printer is having the problems. But the Print Monitor window has the number of each printer ("stylus C40(USB port 5)". If there is only one Printer Monitor window open, then that is the printer having the problems. You can click cancel in the alert dialogue to trash the print jobs. You can then stop the print queue so that no other jobs print from that printer until you have resolved the problem.

The following images show which printers correspond to which USB port numbers:
[ diagram 1 (back) ] [ diagram 2 (front) ].

Empty Trash
You should empty the system trash regularly. Lots of garbage preference files are created by the functioning of Endnode; it's a good idea to empty the trash once a week or so.

Delete Text Files From disk:done
Delete these files once a week. It's good to have backups for a short time but we don't need these files after they've been printed and they will start to clog the hard drive.

Applescript…