Patent ID: 7123367

Claim:
A printing apparatus that prints images by forming dots on a print medium, comprising: print head including a plurality of dot formation means for forming dots on the print medium; a main scanning means for moving one of the print head and the print medium for main scanning; a head drive means for driving at least a portion of the plurality of dot formation means so as to form dots on the print medium during main scanning; a sub-scanning means for moving one of the print head and the print medium for sub-scanning at completion of each main scan; and a control means for controlling printing; wherein the control means includes: printing mode storage means for storing a plurality of dot printing modes each defining printing operations during the main scanning and sub-scanning, wherein the plurality of dot printing modes are divided into a plurality of printing mode groups having one or more members, with each member of each printing mode group providing similar print resolution and relative printing speed, the plurality of printing mode groups being formed into at least a first printing mode group set for a first print resolution and a second printing mode group set for a second print resolution, each of the first and second printing mode group sets including two or more of the printing mode groups with the printing mode groups included in each of the first and second printing mode group sets being arranged so that the number of dot printing modes included in a group increases as its printing speed decreases; mode selection information setting means for setting mode selection information specifying one preferable dot printing mode for each printing mode group from among the one or more members of that printing mode group; means for executing printing according to the preferable dot printing mode specified in the mode selection information; and initial setting registration means for registering initial settings of the printing apparatus including selection of only one of the plurality of printing mode groups.