A printing apparatus for recording a print image on a base material being transported in a transport direction, comprising: a recording part for causing a recording agent to adhere to said base material, thereby recording a print image on said base material; and a printing controller for controlling said recording part, wherein said printing controller includes a temporary printing processing part for causing said recording part to execute a temporary printing process that records single pages of a temporary print image on said base material, an actual printing processing part for causing said recording part to execute an actual printing process that records single pages of an actual print image on said base material, and a printing process switching part for causing said recording part to execute switching from said temporary printing process to said actual printing process during the execution of said temporary printing process, characterised in that the printing controller is configured such that said temporary print image is used for alignment in a post-processing apparatus disposed downstream of said printing apparatus and for executing a process on said base material, wherein said temporary print image is one of following x), y) or z): x) a print image obtained by decreasing densities of respective colors of said actual print image,; y) a print image formed by ink of a single color when said actual print image is a print image printed in multiple colors; or z) a print image including a diagram obtained by representing only outlines of components of said actual print image in a single color, and wherein the amount of recording agent used during printing of said temporary print image is smaller than that used during printing of said actual print image. a recording part for causing a recording agent to adhere to said base material, thereby recording a print image on said base material; and a printing controller for controlling said recording part, wherein said printing controller includes a temporary printing processing part for causing said recording part to execute a temporary printing process that records single pages of a temporary print image on said base material, an actual printing processing part for causing said recording part to execute an actual printing process that records single pages of an actual print image on said base material, and a printing process switching part for causing said recording part to execute switching from said temporary printing process to said actual printing process during the execution of said temporary printing process, characterised in that the printing controller is configured such that said temporary print image is used for alignment in a post-processing apparatus disposed downstream of said printing apparatus and for executing a process on said base material, wherein said temporary print image is one of following x), y) or z): x) a print image obtained by decreasing densities of respective colors of said actual print image,; y) a print image formed by ink of a single color when said actual print image is a print image printed in multiple colors; or z) a print image including a diagram obtained by representing only outlines of components of said actual print image in a single color, and x) a print image obtained by decreasing densities of respective colors of said actual print image,; y) a print image formed by ink of a single color when said actual print image is a print image printed in multiple colors; or z) a print image including a diagram obtained by representing only outlines of components of said actual print image in a single color, and wherein the amount of recording agent used during printing of said temporary print image is smaller than that used during printing of said actual print image.