PURPOSE: To simply output a character to a desired printing position by indicating the position from the end of printing paper by providing conversion function on the side of a printing apparatus.

CONSTITUTION: The printer controller 41 of a PR engine 40 obtains the data of a paper size from a paper feed cassette by a paper size detection sensor 43 and transmits the same to an I/F controller 30 through a video interface 50. By this mechanism, the data of the paper size is stored in a RAM 34. The CPU 32 of the I/F controller 30 knows the positions of the upper, left, lower and right ends of the present printing paper on the basis of said data and adds or subtracts the value of the difference of a position indicating printing command from said positions to calculate the position on a frame memory 37. When the calculation of the position is completed, a usual drawing command is printed to make it possible to carry out drawing independent of the size and direction of the paper.