Patent ID: 8422065

Claim:
A print data output apparatus that decides an external storage unit related to use from among external storage units connected to a plurality of connection portions to which the external storage units are connectable, and outputs print data to the external storage unit based on a printing instruction, the print data output apparatus comprising: an external storage unit retrieval unit that retrieves the external storage units connected to the connection portions based on a command to use the external storage unit; and an external storage unit deciding unit that, in a case where a plurality of the external storage units connected to the connection portions are retrieved by the external storage unit retrieval unit, decides that an external storage unit satisfying predetermined conditions is the external storage unit related to the use from among the plurality of external storage units, wherein respective pieces of identification target information are stored in the plurality of external storage units, the external storage unit retrieval unit extracts the respective pieces of identification target information from the plurality of external storage units, and the external storage unit deciding unit determines whether or not prestored registered information and extracted identification target information coincide with each other, and determines that an external storage unit satisfying the predetermined conditions is the external storage unit related to the use while defining, as the predetermined conditions, that the registered information and the identification target information coincide with each other, the registered information has a predetermined folder configuration for outputting the print data, and the external storage unit deciding unit determines whether or not a folder having a same configuration as the predetermined folder configuration is present in the external storage unit, and determines that an external storage unit satisfying the predetermined conditions is the external storage unit related to the use in a case where the folder having the same configuration is present.