I want to know how much ink I have

[logie]

Since I gave up Windows around 2005 I have missed only one thing. I used to have a program that showed me how much ink was left in my printer cartridges. Is there any way to check that with Ubuntu 18.04?

[CatKiller]

It depends on the printer. HP printers will show that information in HPLIP.

[HermanAB]

A real geek, would put a webcam on the printer...

[logie]

It depends on the printer. HP printers will show that information in HPLIP.

Thanks. I have HP. How do I do it? (Please excuse ignorance!)

[CatKiller]

It's in the repositories; you'd install it the same as any other software. Then, when you run it, it has a tab called "Supplies" that shows ink levels. You can also do the normal print job stuff in an interface that you might think is prettier than the CUPS one.

[coffeecat]

Point of information: if you want a pretty GUI app, you would need the package hplip-gui. hplip provides all the backend stuff and is a dependency of hplip-gui, but it's the gui package that I think the OP would want.

I'm fairly sure that hplip comes as default in Ubuntu, but that you need to install hplip-gui if you want it. The module for monitoring ink levels (and other stuff) is called HP Toolbox.

[CelticWarrior]

Point of information: if you want a pretty GUI app, you would need the package hplip-gui.

+1

Last time I use a HP printer was some years ago. I vaguely remember search for and installing it with the software center.

But now (19.10) there's only 'hplip-printer-application' (snap) and an alternative menu as a Gnome extension.

[kurt18947]

I installed refillable cartridges in my inkjet printer. They're translucent so I can see at a glimpse. They also hold a lot more ink than 'normal' cartridges - no sponges - so i don't have to refill them very often. I'm lucky that my printer is old enough to not have chipped ink cartridges which makes things simpler.

[logie]

I installed refillable cartridges in my inkjet printer. They're translucent so I can see at a glimpse. They also hold a lot more ink than 'normal' cartridges - no sponges - so i don't have to refill them very often. I'm lucky that my printer is old enough to not have chipped ink cartridges which makes things simpler.

I would like to do the same. How do I go about it? LOGIE

[ajgreeny]

I would like to do the same. How do I go about it? LOGIE

Just do a web search for compatible cartridges "printer-make/model" You will probably get many links to look at and research a bit further. I have been using compatible cartridges for many years here in the UK with no problems, but I suggest you look for reviews of the cartridges before purchase.