Patent ID: 7852508

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image-processing section that converts first information into second information, the first information being in a first page layout in which a first integral number of pages of the first information are laid out on a sheet of recording medium; an image forming section that prints the second information on the sheet of recording medium; and a layout-commanding section that commands to switch the second information from the first page layout to a second page layout in which a second integral number of pages of the first information are laid out on the sheet of recording medium; wherein when said image-processing section is converting a page of the first information into the second information, if said layout-commanding section commands to switch the second information from the first page layout to the second page layout, said image-processing section converts at least the page of the first information into the second information such that the second information is in the first page layout, and after converting at least the first page, then converts a remaining portion of the first information into the second information such that the second information is in the second page layout, and wherein when said image forming apparatus is performing printing of a page in the first page layout, if said layout-commanding section commands to switch from the first page layout to the second page layout, the printing is continued until the page in the first page layout has been printed, then printing is interrupted, and thereafter, a remaining portion of the first information is converted into the second information such that the second information is printed in the second page layout.