Patent ID: 7192114

Claim:
A printing apparatus having a function capable of restricting use of some of a plurality of nozzles in an actual printing operation when printing is performed using an inkjet printhead having the plurality of nozzles, comprising: first storage means for storing a position of an ink discharge failure nozzle among the plurality of nozzles; detection means for detecting whether the position of the ink discharge failure nozzle stored in said first storage means exists at or near an end of a nozzle area which is still usable regardless of use restriction on the plurality of nozzles; complementary printing means for performing, by using a nozzle positioned near the ink discharge failure nozzle, complementary printing in an area where printing is impossible due to the ink discharge failure nozzle; and complementary printing control means for controlling use of the nozzle for complementary printing by said complementary printing means in accordance with a detection result of said detection means, wherein the plurality of nozzles are divided into a plurality of blocks, and use of some of the plurality of nozzles is restricted for each block, and wherein said detection means detects whether the position of the ink discharge failure nozzle falls within a block corresponding to the end of the nozzle area which is still usable regardless of the use restriction on some of the plurality of nozzles.