Patent ID: 7317545

Claim:
An image forming apparatus which is capable of performing an image forming operation and an optional operation selected by a user and not involving formation of an image, in accordance with setting items set by the user, the image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming an image on a print sheet based on given data according to a plurality of image formation levels including at least a complete output level and a limited output level, all setting items set by a user being reflected at the complete output level and a part of the setting items set by the user being changed or invalidated at the limited output level; error discriminating means for discriminating an error relating to the optional operation, said error being of a type that can be avoided by changing one of the image formation levels which is currently set in the image forming apparatus to a different one of the image formation levels; and level changing means for changing, when an error occurs during an image forming operation preformed at the complete output level and said error discriminating means discriminates that the error can be avoided by changing the image formation level, the complete output level to said different one of the image formation levels at which the error can be avoided; and level change permission setting means for setting permission or prohibition of said change of the complete output level to said different one of the image formation levels by said level changing means when said error relating to the optional operation occurs, wherein if said change of the complete output level to said different one of the image formation levels by said level changing means is set to be prohibited, said change is not performed by said level changing means.