PURPOSE: To make easy letter printing work by a desired format by storing tab position in a built-in microcomputer as figure data and on the other hand displaying the carriage position and tab position.

CONSTITUTION: A letter printing control section PRD that consists of a type selection control section and a hammer energizing section, a carriage movement control section SHD, and a driving circuit DSP for display sections 4 and 5 are controlled based on the instructions from a key board KB by means of a micro computer MC. When keys in the order of "FNC", "DESIRED FIGURE", and "TAB SET" are pushed, the figure is displayed on the display section 5, and at the same time the position of a tab that corresponds to the figure is established. The said procedure is repeated a several times. Next, when the carriage is set at the left end position, a figure that corresponds to a first tab position well advanced in the direction of letter printing is shown, and when the "TAB" key is pressed down, the carriage moves to its position and on the display section 5 a figure for next tab position is displayed. On the display section 4 a figure corresponding to a carriage position is successively displayed.