PURPOSE: To easily perform the accurate alignment with paper without performing trial printing by analyzing the control data up to the first printing character data among printing data given for printing to a st a printing head at a printing start position.

CONSTITUTION: When data to be printed is inputted from a higher rank apparatus through a host interface 2, it is checked whether a line feed code and a space code both of which are printing start position control data are present at the beginning thereof. When there is the line feed code, a line motor 8 is driven by a line motor control circuit 7 to rotate a platen 22 to perform the line feed of a predetermined one line. When there is the space code, a space motor 6 is driven by a space motor control circuit 5 to move a carriage 21 by a predetermined space. When the processing due to the printing start position control data is finished, 'Do Fine Adjustment Because of Printing Start Position' is displayed on a display part 12b to wait the operation of an operator.