PhotoCake® Online Frequently Asked Questions
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Quickly find answers to common questions with your PhotoCake Print on Demand System.
PRINTER - Epson XP-Series Printer
From the printer's touchscreen select 'Setup', 'Maintenance', 'Ink Cartridge Replacement' and press 'OK'. This will move the printer carriage over for you. You can then open the cover and replace your ink cartridge(s). Continue to follow the on-screen prompts to complete the replacement process.
The best way to maintain your Epson XP-Series Printer is to print every day. If you have a week without an order for a PhotoCake Image, you can always print a color test to ensure the ink continues to flow properly.
No. The Epson XP-Series Printers do not have removable printheads. We recommend keeping the PhotoCake Printhead Cleaning Kit on hand to clean the printhead. Download the PhotoCake Ink, Supplies & Media Guide (pdf) to find the supplies needed for your printer.
The Epson XP-Series Printers use the PhotoCake printhead cleaning kit to clean the printhead. The PhotoCake printhead cleaning kit is installed in the same way you install your ink cartridges. Once you have inserted the PhotoCake printhead cleaning kit cartridges, select 'Printer Maintenance' from the PhotoCake Online Application, select 'Deep Clean', and follow the on-screen instructions until complete.
If you are experiencing this situation, it may be due to a clogged nozzle in the printhead. The first step is to figure out which nozzle might be clogged by printing a color test from the 'Printer Maintenance' option of your PhotoCake Online Application. If your color test has gaps in any of the lines, this indicates which color is having the issue. You can perform a deep clean to help clear any possible clogs, or try replacing the ink cartridge.
Make sure your edible paper is inserted evenly into the printer and your input tray is attached. Adjust the gray paper guide to fit snugly against the left edge of the edible paper. This will help keep your edible paper straight as it goes through the printer. Always ensure your edible paper settings within the PhotoCake Online Application are matching the edible paper you are currently using.
Ensure your input tray and stationary output tray is fully extended and adjusted correctly. To stop any printhead striking, always have your removable output tray installed. Additionally, ensure your edible paper settings within the PhotoCake Online Application are matching the edible paper you are currently using.
A number of factors could be causing this:
- Each ink cartridge has a yellow tab marked 'PULL'. Ensure all PULL tabs have been removed from the cartridges.
- Ensure the ink cartridges are in the corresponding slots within the printer. For your convenience, there is a color guide on the ink carriage as well.
- Try another ink cartridge from a different box. If the second cartridge is recognized, there might be an issue with the first cartridge. If this is the case, simply contact the PhotoCake Technical Support Department. For faster service, have the ink cartridge lot number readily available.
After replacing an ink cartridge, it is important to perform a color test and a printhead cleaning from your PhotoCake Online Application to prime the ink cartridges. To print a color test, insert a plain piece of paper into the Epson XP-Series Printer, select 'Printer Maintenance' from the PhotoCake Online application, and then select 'Print'. This will print a color test. Once the color test has printed, select 'Print' again to initiate a printhead cleaning. Once the printhead cleaning is finished, the printer will print another color test. At this point, your inks should be flowing correctly.
Open the lid of the Epson XP-Series Printer and inspect it for any visible obstructions that could be causing the paper jam. If located, remove any obstructions. Restart the printer and see if the error message has disappeared. If you are still receiving a paper jam error, please contact PhotoCake Technical Support.
This message appears because you are using edible ink cartridges instead of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) ink. This is a standard message and you can continue using the edible inks. Select 'OK' through the prompts until you see the message "continue using this ink", then select 'Yes'.
Check your edible paper settings to verify the settings match the edible paper you are currently using. This information is located under the 'Select the Topping' tab within the PhotoCake Online Application. Make sure your edible paper is inserted evenly into the printer and your input tray is attached. Adjust the gray paper guide to fit snugly against the left edge of the edible paper. This will help keep your edible paper straight as it goes through the printer.
PRINTER - Canon iP3500
The paper thickness switch should always be set to envelope. This will help eliminate streaking on your images by keeping the paper rollers open to accept the edible paper.
It may be time to replace your printhead. However, prior to doing so, power the printer off and then power it on to see if the error message is cleared. If your power light on your printer is solid green after restarting, you are ready to print. If the problem continues, remove your printhead and reinsert it to ensure it was seated properly. Close the lid of the printer and check to see if the error message is cleared. If the error is still present, please contact PhotoCake Technical Support.
- The ink cartridges may not be installed properly. Open the lid of the printer to verify the ink cartridges are installed in the corresponding slots within the printer. For your convenience, there is a color guide on the ink carriage for each ink cartridge.
- Make sure the ink cartridges are not expired. Inspect each ink cartridge for the 'best if used by date' label.
- Check to ensure the yellow tab affixed to each cartridge is removed. If these are not removed, it will prevent the ink cartridge from flowing properly within the printer.
A flashing indicator light means your ink cartridge is low or empty. Please monitor your ink levels so you are replacing your ink cartridges when needed.
- Your ink cartridge might not be installed correctly. Try removing and re-inserting the ink cartridge.
- Always ensure your printhead is inserted properly prior to inserting your ink cartridges. The indicator lights on the ink cartridges must be illuminated in order for your printer to work properly.
Check your print queue. If you have any pending prints in queue, please cancel them and try to print the needed image again. If your media or image credit count was decremented and the image did not print, please contact PhotoCake Technical Support at 1-800-644-1228 so we can balance the count.
Make sure your edible paper is inserted evenly into the printer and your input tray is attached. Adjust the gray paper guide to fit snugly against the left edge of the edible paper. This will help keep your edible paper straight as it goes through the printer. Always ensure your edible paper settings within the PhotoCake Online Application are matching the edible paper you are currently using.
Close the cover of the printer, power the printer off and then power it back on. Wait for the power light stay at a solid green. Then, open the cover and wait for the carriage to move over.
A flashing orange light indicates an error with your printer. The number and pattern of the orange flashes can alert you to the type of error. For your reference, below is a list of the error messages. If you are unable to recognize the pattern of orange flashes or the error message itself, simply contact PhotoCake Technical Support and we will be happy to help!
- 1 Flash - Carriage Error - If the lights are alternating between green and orange, you may have a carriage error. Contact PhotoCake Technical Support for assistance.
- 2 Flashes - Out Of Paper - Insert the edible paper, then press the resume button to the left of the orange light to continue printing.
- 3 Flashes - Paper Jam - Open the lid of the Canon iP3500 Printer and inspect it for any visible obstructions that could be causing the paper jam. If located, remove any obstructions. Restart the printer and see if the error message has disappeared.
- 4 Flashes - Ink Tank Missing/Empty – Open the lid of the printer to ensure you have each ink cartridge inserted. If one or more of the ink cartridges are empty, please replace them, close the lid of the printer and wait for the printer power light to return to a solid green.
- 5 Flashes - Printhead Defective or not Installed – Open the lid of the printer and see if the printhead is inserted into the ink carriage. If the printhead is in the carriage, all the light indicators will be illuminated on the ink cartridges. Once this is verified and if the error continues, please replace the printhead.
- 6 Flashes - Inner Cover Is Open - Close the inner cover, power the printer off and then power it back on.
- 7 Flashes - Ink Tank Not Installed Correctly – Open the lid of the printer and check for the flashing indicator lights on your ink cartridges. If any are flashing, they may be in the incorrect slot. Verify the ink cartridges are installed in the corresponding slots within the printer. For your convenience, there is a color guide on the ink carriage for each ink cartridge.
- 8 or more orange flashes - Contact PhotoCake Technical Support at 1-800-644-1228.
Ensure your input tray and stationary output tray is fully extended and adjusted correctly. To stop any printhead striking, always have your removable output tray installed. Always ensure your edible paper settings within the PhotoCake Online Application are matching the edible paper you are currently using.
Check your edible paper settings to verify the settings match the edible paper you are currently using. This information is located under the 'Select the Topping' tab within the PhotoCake Online Application. Make sure your edible paper is inserted evenly into the printer and your input tray is attached. Adjust the gray paper guide to fit snugly against the left edge of the edible paper. This will help keep your edible paper straight as it goes through the printer.
PRINTER - Canon iP4820
It may be time to replace your printhead. However, prior to doing so, power the printer off and then power it on to see if the error message disappears. If your power light on your printer is solid green after restarting, you are ready to print. If the problem continues, remove your printhead and reinsert it to ensure it was seated properly. Close the lid of the printer and check if the error message has cleared. If the error is still present, contact PhotoCake Technical Support for further assistance.
- The ink cartridges may not be installed properly. Open the lid of the printer to verify the ink cartridges are installed in the corresponding slots within the printer. For your convenience, there is a color guide on the ink carriage for each ink cartridge.
- Make sure the ink cartridges are not expired. Inspect each ink cartridge for the 'best if used by date' label.
- Check to ensure the yellow tab affixed to each cartridge is removed. If these are not removed, it will prevent the ink cartridge from flowing properly within the printer.
A flashing indicator light means your ink cartridge is low or empty. Please monitor your ink levels so you are replacing your ink cartridges when prompted.
- Your ink cartridge might not be installed correctly. Try removing and re-inserting the ink cartridge.
- Always ensure your printhead is inserted properly prior to inserting your ink cartridges. The indicator lights on the ink cartridges must be illuminated in order for your printer to work properly
Check your print queue. If you have any pending prints in queue, please cancel them and try to print the image again. If your media or image credit count was decremented and the image did not print, please contact PhotoCake Technical Support for further assistance.
Make sure your edible paper is inserted evenly into the printer and your input tray is attached. Adjust the gray paper guide to fit snugly against the left edge of the edible paper. This will help keep your edible paper straight as it goes through the printer. Always ensure your edible paper settings within the PhotoCake Online Application are matching the edible paper you are currently using.
Close the cover of the printer, power the printer off and then power it back on. Wait until power light on the printer is solid green. Then, open the cover and wait for the carriage to move over.
A flashing orange light indicates an error with your printer. The number and pattern of the orange flashes can alert you to the type of error. For your reference, below is a list of the error messages. If you are unable to recognize the pattern of orange flashes or the error message itself, simply contact PhotoCake Technical Support and we will be happy to help!
- 1 Flash - Carriage Error – If the lights are alternating between green and orange, you may have a carriage error. Contact PhotoCake Technical Support for assistance.
- 2 Flashes - Out Of Paper - Insert the edible paper, then press the resume button to the left of the orange light to continue printing.
- 3 Flashes - Paper Jam - Open the lid of the Canon iP4820 Printer and inspect it for any visible obstructions that could be causing the paper jam. If located, remove any obstructions. Restart the printer and see if the error message has cleared.
- 4 Flashes - Ink Tank Missing/Empty – Open the lid of the printer to ensure you have each ink cartridge inserted. If one or more of the ink cartridges are empty, please replace them. Close the lid of the printer and wait for the printer power light to return to a solid green.
- 5 Flashes - Printhead Defective or Not Installed – Open the lid of the printer and see if the printhead is inserted into the ink carriage. If the printhead is in the carriage, all the light indicators will be illuminated on the ink cartridges. Once this is verified and if the error continues, please replace the printhead.
- 6 Flashes - Inner Cover Is Open - Close the inner cover, power the printer off and then power it back on.
- 7 Flashes - Ink Tank Not Installed Correctly – Open the lid of the printer and check for the flashing indicator lights on your ink cartridges. If any are flashing, they may be in the incorrect slot. Verify the ink cartridges are installed in the corresponding slots within the printer. For your convenience, there is a color guide on the ink carriage for each ink cartridge.
- 8 or more orange flashes - Contact PhotoCake Technical Support at 1-800-644-1228.
Ensure your input tray and stationary output tray is fully extended and adjusted correctly. To stop any printhead striking, always have your removable output tray installed. Always ensure your edible paper settings within the PhotoCake Online Application are matching the edible paper you are currently using.
Check your edible paper settings to verify the settings match the edible paper you are currently using. This information is located under the 'Select the Topping' tab within the PhotoCake Online Application. Make sure your edible paper is inserted evenly into the printer and your input tray is attached. Adjust the gray paper guide to fit snugly against the left edge of the edible paper. This will help keep your edible paper straight as it goes through the printer.
If you receive this message, select 'Continue'. It is very important to not select 'cancel' as this will cancel the print. If the message continues, navigate to printing preferences/printing properties on your computer to change the settings. To do this, locate the start menu on your computer. From there, select 'Devices and Printers', locate the Canon iP4800 Printer and right click. From there, select 'Printing Preferences' from the drop down menu. Select the 'Maintenance' tab, and then 'Custom Settings'. Under 'Custom Settings' select the option to 'restore defaults' and select 'apply.' Repeat these steps under 'Printing Properties' and ensure that you are selecting 'apply' to ensure the changes are made.
WEBSITE
You can check your balance by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. Here you will see a gray box showing your available media credits and a purple box showing your available image credits. You might need to click on 'show details' if your details are hidden.
You can check your image usage by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. On the left side on this page, select 'Image Use'. Within the 'Image Use' page, you can enter the date range you would like to review and select 'GO'.
Media Access Codes can be entered by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. On the left side of the page, select 'Consumable Media'. On the Consumable Media page, enter the Media Access Code which is printed on the package of your edible paper. Be sure to enter the Media Access Code exactly as shown. Please note: This includes the decimals points, but does not require any spacing.
Media Access Code usage can be checked by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. On the My PhotoCake page, select 'Consumable Media'. From here, you can enter a date range you would like to review under 'Redemption History' and select 'GO'.
You can change your password by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. On the left side of the page, select 'Change Password'. From here you can enter your current password and new password, then click 'submit' to apply the changes.
You can access all available images by selecting the 'Image Library' heading within the website.
- This message will appear when the login information entered does not match our records. Please re-enter and try again. Please Note: User names and passwords are not case sensitive.
- If you continue to receive this message, select the 'forgot password' option located within the sign in window. The password will be sent to the default contact email address on file.
No. The username will be the same for both DecoPac.com and PhotoCake.com, but the passwords might be different.
- To find decorating ideas specifically related to PhotoCake Images, click on Cake Ideas on the PhotoCake.com homepage.
- For ideas specific to using DecoSets® with the Decoset® Backgrounds, select 'Resource Center' and the select 'DecoSet® Backgrounds'.
- For additional cake decorating ideas, please visit DecoPac.com and click on Resource Center.
Your username must be changed on DecoPac.com. You can do this by logging into your DecoPac.com account, then select 'My Account' in the upper right-hand corner. Locate the 'Edit My Profile' option to change your name, email address, and/or phone number. Don't forget to select 'Update Profile' to save your changes. Please note: The changes you make to your profile can take up to 48 hours to update on PhotoCake.com
No, at this time PhotoCake Online is not compatible with any Macintosh (Mac®) computers. To review the Technical Requirements for PhotoCake Online, simply select the 'Resource Center' heading and then select 'Technical Requirements'. Make sure you review these in their entirety. We have also linked several of the latest required downloads on this page for your convenience.
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge are all compatible with PhotoCake Online. To review the Technical Requirements for PhotoCake Online, simply select the 'Resource Center' heading and then select 'Technical Requirements'. Make sure you review these in their entirety. We have also linked several of the latest required downloads on this page for your convenience.
APPLICATION
Locate the gray PhotoCake Online icon on your task bar, which is typically located in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. Right click and select 'Log into PhotoCake Online'. Your default web browser will appear asking you to sign into PhotoCake Online. After signing into the website, wait for the PhotoCake icon to change from gray to color. Once the icon is illuminated, select the 'Create Cake' heading to launch the PhotoCake Online Application.
If this happens, sign out of PhotoCake.com and close the web browser. Once all is closed, try starting the application by selecting the gray PhotoCake icon on the bottom right-hand side of task bar of your computer. If the PhotoCake icon is missing, select the 'Start' menu on your computer and select the 'PhotoCake' program. This should return the PhotoCake icon to the task bar. Once you have located the icon, right click and select 'Log into PhotoCake Online'. Your default web browser will appear asking you to sign into PhotoCake Online. After signing into the website, wait for the PhotoCake icon to change from gray to color. Once the icon is illuminated, select the 'Create Cake' heading to launch the PhotoCake Online Application.
Review the picture and ensure that it is in JPEG or TIFF format. These are the only formats that are recognized within the PhotoCake Online Application.
Within the PhotoCake Online Application, you can select the 'Back' option to return to the previous step. If you would like to start completely over, simply select the 1st step; 'What would you like to print on your topping'? This will cancel the current project completely.
No, printing from the Printer Maintenance menu will not use a media credit.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Go to the PhotoCake® Online App Download page to download the PhotoCake Online App and find technical requirements.
MEDIA ACCESS CODES
Media Access Codes enable you to print from your PhotoCake Online System. Each package of PhotoCake approved edible paper contains a media access code printed on the bag. This media access code must be entered into your PhotoCake System. The edible sheet count displayed on your system should reflect the actual number of edible sheets you have on hand. The PhotoCake System will subtract a quantity of 1 from your available balance for each print.
Media Access Codes can be entered by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. On the left side of the page, select 'Consumable Media'. On the Consumable Media page, enter the Media Access Code which is printed on the package of your edible paper. Be sure to enter the Media Access Code exactly as shown. Please note: This includes the decimals points, but does not require any spacing.
Media Access Code usage can be checked by logging into PhotoCake.com and selecting 'My PhotoCake'. On the My PhotoCake page, select 'Consumable Media'. From here, you can enter a date range you would like to review under Redemption History and select 'GO'.
Unfortunately, Media Access Codes are not for sale. Media Access Codes can only be obtained from a package of PhotoCake approved edible paper.
Media Access Codes can only be entered into the PhotoCake.com website only once.
No. If you do not have Media Credits available, you will need to enter a Media Access Code from a package of edible paper that has not been previously used.
The number of media credits you receive when you enter a code is equal to the number of edible sheets available in the package of edible paper.
The Media Access Code is located on the package of PhotoCake approved edible paper and is 14 characters long. Be sure to enter the Media Access Code exactly as shown. Please note: This includes the decimals points, but does not require any spacing.
Sample packages of edible paper do not have a Media Access Code printed on them. For your convenience, the media credits for the sample package of edible paper have already been loaded onto your PhotoCake.com account.
If your image was canceled before it printed, or if your computer produced an error that caused you to lose a credit, please contact PhotoCake Technical Support.
ENHANCEMENT GUIDE
The Enhancement Guide is located on PhotoCake.com. Locate the Resource Center and then select Technical Requirements. The current Enhancement Guide is located on the right side of the page.
The Enhancement Guide includes a list of new Images, discontinued Images as well as the Images that may only be available for a limited-time.
The Enhancement Guide includes a list of new Images, discontinued Images as well as the Images that may only be available for a limited-time.
MARKETING MATERIALS
With the purchase of PhotoCake Online, you will receive; A PhotoCake DecoDisplay® cake, header card, window cling, poster, and a small roll of Next Cake stickers that advertise ordering a PhotoCake® Image for your customer's next cake order. You will also receive The Magic of Cakes® (TMOC) display book for your customers to browse through available Images.
If you are missing any of the marketing materials from your PhotoCake® Online merchandising kit, we would like to know! Please call us at 1-800-644-1228 and we will ensure those missing materials are shipped to your location.
Yes, these are available to order separately. Please contact PhotoCake Technical Support at 1-800-644-1228 or your DecoPac Sales Representative for more details.
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