Bug#587578: hplip: adaptive greyscale (don't use color to print black, it's expensive)

[Mark Hedges <hedges@scriptdolphin.com>]

Package: hplip
Version: 3.10.5-1
Severity: wishlist


It seems like when I print a page of black text using the
default 'Normal Color' printer setting, it uses the color
cartridge to print black.  I notice this when the color
catridge runs out of ink or when the paper jams and it
prints only one or two colors instead of all of them.
The color cartridge is for printing color.  The black ink
cartridge is for printing black, and is less expensive.
As a result, I have to selectively print pages that might
have color pictures on them, and switch to 'Normal Greyscale'
to print pages that do not.  There ought to be a way for
the driver to detect whether it is printing b/w or color,
and use the appropriate cartridge for the appropriate pixels.

Thanks.
Mark

-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (990, 'testing')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages hplip depends on:
ii  adduser                       3.112      add and remove users and groups
ii  coreutils                     8.5-1      GNU core utilities
ii  cups                          1.4.3-1    Common UNIX Printing System(tm) - 
ii  cups-client                   1.4.3-1    Common UNIX Printing System(tm) - 
ii  hplip-data                    3.10.5-1   HP Linux Printing and Imaging - da
ii  libc6                         2.11.1-3   Embedded GNU C Library: Shared lib
ii  libcups2                      1.4.3-1    Common UNIX Printing System(tm) - 
ii  libdbus-1-3                   1.2.24-1   simple interprocess messaging syst
ii  libhpmud0                     3.10.5-1   HP Multi-Point Transport Driver (h
ii  libsane                       1.0.21-2   API library for scanners
ii  libssl0.9.8                   0.9.8o-1   SSL shared libraries
ii  lsb-base                      3.2-23.1   Linux Standard Base 3.2 init scrip
ii  policykit-1                   0.96-2     framework for managing administrat
ii  python                        2.5.4-9    An interactive high-level object-o
ii  python-dbus                   0.83.1-1   simple interprocess messaging syst
ii  python-imaging                1.1.7-1+b1 Python Imaging Library
ii  python-pexpect                2.3-1      Python module for automating inter

Versions of packages hplip recommends:
ii  avahi-daemon                  0.6.25-3   Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon
ii  hpijs                         3.10.5-1   HP Linux Printing and Imaging - gs
ii  sane-utils                    1.0.21-2   API library for scanners -- utilit

Versions of packages hplip suggests:
ii  gtklp                         1.2.7-2    printing tool for CUPS on the GNOM
ii  hplip-doc                     3.10.5-1   HP Linux Printing and Imaging - do
ii  hplip-gui                     3.10.5-1   HP Linux Printing and Imaging - GU

-- no debconf information