Patent ID: 6957879

Claim:
A printing apparatus which performs printing by driving a printhead on the basis of print data transmitted from a host apparatus, wherein the printhead has a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of orifices and is scanned to be able to print by a width within a predetermined printing width, by discharging ink from the plurality of orifices, comprising: main scanning means for scanning the printhead in a main scanning direction with respect to a printing medium; buffer means for storing print data in blocks; reception means for receiving, from the host apparatus, print data to be printed, and block size information of a block ensured in said buffer means, which are generated on the basis of a main scanning printing width in printing; storage means for ensuring a block corresponding to the block size information received by said reception means, and storing the print data in said buffer means; and control means for controlling printing by the printhead on the basis of the print data stored in said buffer means, wherein said control means controls printing by defining the number of printing elements used by the printhead in one main scanning from the plurality of printing elements in accordance with the block size information, and wherein the block size information is defined on the basis of a number of the orifices used for one main scanning of the printhead which is generated on the basis of the main scanning printing width.