Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool Description
The Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool allows you to perform printer maintenance or change the settings of the printer.
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Cleaning -
Performs print head Cleaning.
The print head Cleaning function allows you to clear up clogged print head nozzles.
Perform print head Cleaning if printing results are not satisfactory or if a specific color fails to print, even though there is enough ink. -
Deep Cleaning -
Performs Deep Cleaning.
Perform Deep Cleaning when two Cleaning attempts do not resolve the print head problem.
Note- Deep Cleaning consumes a larger amount of ink than Cleaning.
Cleaning the print heads frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Perform Cleaning only when necessary.
- Ink Group
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When you click Cleaning or Deep Cleaning, the Ink Group window is displayed.
Selects the ink group that you want to clean the print head for.
Click Initial Check Items to display the items that you need to check before you perform Cleaning or Deep Cleaning.
- Deep Cleaning consumes a larger amount of ink than Cleaning.
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Print Head Alignment -
Print Head Alignment corrects the installation positions of the print head and improves misalignment of colors and lines.
Align the print head immediately after installing the print head.
When you click Print Head Alignment, the Print Head Alignment dialog box is displayed. -
Nozzle Check -
Prints a Nozzle Check pattern.
Perform this function if printing becomes faint or a specific color fails to print. Print a Nozzle Check pattern, and check whether the print head is working properly.
If the print result for a specific color is faint, or if there are any unprinted sections, click Cleaning to clean the print head.
To display a list of items that you should check before printing the Nozzle Check pattern, click Initial Check Items.- Print Check Pattern
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This function prints a pattern that allows you to check whether the any of the ink nozzles are clogged.
Click Print Check Pattern. When the confirmation message is displayed, click OK. The Pattern Check dialog box is then displayed.- Left-side bitmap (good)
- The print head nozzles are not clogged.
- Right-side bitmap (bad)
- The print head nozzles may be clogged.
- Exit
- Closes the Pattern Check dialog box.
- Cleaning
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Performs print head Cleaning.
Print head Cleaning removes any blockage in the print head nozzles.
Perform Cleaning when printing becomes faint, or if a specific color fails to print, even though all ink levels are sufficiently high.
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Ink Usage Control -
Opens the Ink Usage Control dialog box.
Save ink by specifying the ink tanks you want to use from the ink tanks that are attached, or by reducing the amount of black ink that is used.Note- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
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Bottom Plate Cleaning -
Performs cleaning of the bottom plate of the printer.
To prevent smudges on the back side of a sheet of paper, perform Bottom Plate Cleaning before you perform duplex printing.
Also perform Bottom Plate Cleaning if ink smudges caused by something other than print data appear on the printed page. -
Power Off -
Turns off the printer from the Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool.
Perform this function to turn off the printer when you cannot press the ON button (POWER button) on the printer because the printer is out of your reach.
You must press the ON button (POWER button) on the printer to turn the printer on again after clicking this button. When you use this function, you will not be able to turn the printer on from the Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool. -
Auto Power -
Opens the Auto Power Settings dialog box.
Specify settings for operating the printer power automatically. Perform this function if you want to change the auto power settings.Note- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
If this happens, click OK to display the most recent settings specified on your computer.
- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
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Quiet Settings -
Opens the Quiet Settings dialog box.
Quiet Settings dialog box allows you to specify a setting that reduces the operating noise of the printer. This mode comes in handy when the operating noise of the printer becomes a concern, such when printing at night. Perform this operation when you want to change the quiet mode setting.Note- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
If this happens, click OK to display the most recent settings specified on your computer.
- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
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Custom Settings -
Opens the Custom Settings dialog box.
Perform this function to change the settings of this printer.Note- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
If this happens, click OK to display the most recent settings specified on your computer.
- If the printer is off or if communication between the printer and the computer is disabled, an error message may appear because the computer cannot collect the printer status.
- View Printer Status
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Starts the Canon IJ Status Monitor.
Perform this function when you want to check the printer status and how a print job is proceeding.
Initial Check Items (Cleaning / Deep Cleaning)
Before running Cleaning or Deep Cleaning, check that the printer power is on, and open the cover of the printer.
Check the following items for each ink.
- Check the amount of ink remaining in the tank.
- Check that you push in the ink tank completely until you hear a clicking sound.
- If an orange tape is adhered to the ink tank, peel it off completely.
Any remaining tape will hinder ink output. - Check that the ink tanks are installed in their correct positions.
Print Head Alignment dialog box
This dialog box allows you to adjust the attachment position for the print head, or to print the current setting value for the print head position.
- Start
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Aligns the print head.
Print Head Alignment corrects the installation positions of the print head and improves misalignment of colors and lines.
Align the print head immediately after installing the print head. - Print Alignment Value
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Click this button to check the current setting value of the print head position.
Prints the current setting value for the print head position.
Print Head Alignment dialog box (run time)
To adjust the print head position manually, click Start in the Print Head Alignment dialog box, and perform the operations instructed in the messages. The Print Head Alignment dialog box (run time) is then displayed.
This dialog box allows you to check the printed pattern and adjust the print head position.
- Preview Window
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Displays the pattern of Print Head Alignment, and checks the position of the selected pattern.
You can also change the setting by clicking the pattern on the screen directly. - Select the Pattern Number
- Compare the printed adjustment patterns, and enter the pattern number of the pattern with the least prominent streaks or stripes into the corresponding box.
Note
- If you do not know how to analyze the printed pattern, see "Adjusting Print Head Position Automatically."
Initial Check Items (Nozzle Check)
Before running Nozzle Check, check that the printer power is on, and open the cover of the printer.
Check the following items for each ink.
- Check the amount of ink remaining in the tank.
- Check that you push in the ink tank completely until you hear a clicking sound.
- If an orange tape is adhered to the ink tank, peel it off completely.
Any remaining tape will hinder ink output. - Check that the ink tanks are installed in their correct positions.
Ink Usage Control dialog box
When you click Ink Usage Control, the Ink Usage Control dialog box is displayed.
- Print With
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Specify the ink tank to be used from the installed ink tanks.
Select from All Colors (Default), All Except PGBK (Black), Only PGBK (Black).
Important- When the following settings are specified, Only PGBK (Black) does not function because the printer uses an ink tank other than PGBK (Black) to print documents.
- Other than Plain Paper, Envelope, Ink Jet Hagaki (A), Hagaki K (A), Hagaki (A), or Hagaki is selected for Media Type on the Main tab
- Borderless is selected from the Page Layout list on the Page Setup tab
- Do not detach the ink tank that is not in use. Printing cannot be performed while either ink tank is detached.
Note- If you turn the power off on the printer, the settings will be initialized, and reverted back to All Colors (Default).
- When the following settings are specified, Only PGBK (Black) does not function because the printer uses an ink tank other than PGBK (Black) to print documents.
- Save Black Ink
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Controls the consumption of black ink during printing. This function allows you to save black ink.
To use this function, select Plain Paper for Media Type on the Main tab, and set Standard for Print Quality.Important- The Save Black Ink function does not work when:
- A type of paper other than Plain Paper is selected for Media Type on the Main tab
- Borderless or Booklet is selected for Page Layout on the Page Setup tab
- Duplex Printing (Manual) is checked on the Page Setup tab
- If All Except PGBK (Black) is selected in Print With
- The Save Black Ink function does not work when:
Auto Power Settings dialog box
When you click Auto Power, the Auto Power Settings dialog box is displayed.
This dialog box allows you to manage the printer power from the Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool.
- Auto Power On
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Select the auto-power on setting.
Select Disable to prevent the auto-power on feature from functioning.
Check that the printer is on, and then click OK to change the printer settings.
Select Enable to turn the printer on automatically when print data is sent to it.Important- Auto Power On only works when using the AC adapter.
- Auto Power Off
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Select the time that you want to set from the list. If a printer driver operation or a printer operation is not performed within the selected time, the printer turns off.
- When Using AC Adapter
- Select how long you want the printer to stay on when using the AC adapter from the following options: Disable/15 minutes/30 minutes/60 minutes/120 minutes/240 minutes.
- When Using Battery
- Select how long you want the printer to stay on when using the battery from the following options: 5 minutes/10 minutes/15 minutes/30 minutes.
Important- Disable cannot be selected for When Using Battery.
Quiet Settings dialog box
When you click Quiet Settings, the Quiet Settings dialog box is displayed.
Quiet Settings dialog box allows you to specify a setting that reduces the operating noise of the printer.
Select when you wish to reduce the operating noise of the printer at night, etc.
Using this function may lower the print speed.
- Do not use quiet mode
- Select this option when you wish to use the printer with volume of normal operating noise.
- Always use quiet mode
- Select this option when you wish to reduce the operating noise of the printer.
- Use quiet mode during specified hours
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Select this option when you wish to reduce the operating noise of the printer during a specified period of time.
Set the Start time and the End time of the quiet mode you wish to be activated. If both are set to the same time, the quiet mode will not function.
Important
- You can set the quiet mode from the operation panel of the printer, or the Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool.
No matter how you use to set the quiet mode, the mode is applied when you perform operations from the operation panel of the printer or printing from the computer.
Custom Settings dialog box
When you click Custom Settings, the Custom Settings dialog box is displayed.
If necessary, switch between various modes of printer operation.
- Align heads manually
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Usually, the Print Head Alignment function in the Canon IJ Printer Assistant Tool is set to automatic head alignment, but you can change it to manual head alignment.
If the printing results of automatic Print Head Alignment are not satisfactory, perform manual head alignment.
Check this check box to perform the manual head alignment. Uncheck this check box to perform the automatic head alignment. - Rotate 90 degrees left when orientation is [Landscape]
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On the Page Setup tab, you can change the rotation direction of the Landscape in the Orientation.
To rotate the print data 90 degrees to the left during printing, select this item. To rotate the print data 90 degrees to the right during printing, clear this item.Important- Do not change this setting while the print job is displayed in the print wait list. Otherwise, characters may be omitted or the layout may become corrupt.
Note- If Yougata 4 4.13"x9.25", Yougata 6 3.86"x7.48", Envelope Com 10, or Envelope DL is selected for Page Size on the Page Setup tab, the printer rotates the paper 90 degrees to the left to print, regardless of the Rotate 90 degrees left when orientation is [Landscape] setting.
- Do not detect mismatched paper settings when printing from a computer
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When you print documents from your computer, the paper settings in the printer driver and the paper information registered on the printer do not match, this setting disables the message display and allows you to continue printing.
To disable detection of paper setting mismatches, select this check box. - Ink Drying Wait Time
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You can set the length of the printer rest time until printing of the next page begins. Moving the slider to the right increases the pause time, and moving the slider to the left decreases the time.
If the paper gets stained because the next page is ejected before the ink on the printed page dries, increase the ink drying wait time.
Reducing the ink drying wait time speeds up printing.
