PURPOSE: To decrease the capacity of a character pattern memory by generating character data which should be deformed into another font and outputted when outline character data of plural fonts are provided and characters are generated.

CONSTITUTION: The input device 8 is an input device such as a keyboard and used to indicate the start of printing in addition to input operation for character codes. The character pattern memory 4 is a memory storing character patterns, and character data of plural fonts that are used in common are stored in part of the character pattern memory 4. And, it is decided whether or not an indicated code inputted from the input device 8 is used in common. When character data are so decide that they are used in common, the character data are deformed font by font. When the data are transferred to a display memory 2, characters are displayed on a display device 3. When the data are transferred to a printer 5, on the other hand, the characters are printed on the printer 5.