I print with an Epson P5000.  I purchased Qimage specifically for the Unclog feature and I cannot understand why Epson doesn't offer equivalent software.  However...  While Qimage prints properly with either PK (Gloss) ink or MK (Matt) ink, the Unclog feature works only with MK ink.  If I shift to PK ink the Unclog software reports an ink mismatch and will not run.  However I can print a PK print with no problem.  I suspect this problem is a quirk with the P5000 printer, but I could use any information available for this problem.

TIA,

Dick Frederick   

According to this page:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1230468/Epson-Sc-P5000-Series.html?page=53

There is an option in the driver where you have to set "Auto Black Ink Change" to "Auto".  After doing that, the printer should change inks based on the type of paper you chose (as Fred indicated).  So in order to unclog both matte and photo black inks, you'd need to create two unclog jobs like Fred showed: one with a matte paper selected and one with a glossy paper selected.  Then when you print one or both of those, the printer should change MK/PK inks automatically.  Some Epson printers require you to manually switch inks but it looks like the P5000 can do it automatically as long as that option is set in the driver.

I think they make you choose "Auto" because, like other Epson printers, they only have one black channel in the printhead so switching between MK/PK inks causes the printer to use between 3 and 5ml of ink doing the switch.  Given that the P5000 prints both MK and PK inks through a single black channel, both MK and PK inks are going to use the same nozzles in the printhead and it isn't necessary to unclog both MK and PK inks since either/both will flow through the same nozzles.  I've seen the recommendation that you want to occasionally switch between MK and PK inks just to keep the switch working... but I don't think I'd do that with every unclog pattern!  If it were my printer, I think I'd create the unclog pattern with a paper type that I use most often and use that and then occasionally switch to the other ink type.  For example, if I usually print glossy or semi-gloss prints, I'd probably just create an unclog pattern that uses glossy paper and use that as my regular unclog pattern.  I'd occasionally print an unclog pattern on matte paper just to keep that MK/PK ink switch working.  How often do you want to switch inks?  I think that's up for debate but I believe I remember Jose Rodriguez saying once a month in a YouTube video.  Might want to do your own research on the frequency of "exercising" the MK/PK ink switch on Epson printers.

Regards,
Mike

Thanks to all - I know what to do now!

Dick