Print data editing device editing print data such that number of on-dots in image represented by print data is reduced

A print data editing method performed by a controller of a print data editing device configured to edit print data to be used in a printing device, the printing device including a print head, a conveying unit, and an ink ribbon, the print head including a plurality of heating elements linearly arrayed in a main scanning direction, the conveying unit being configured to cause the print head and a print target to move relative to each other in a sub scanning direction crossing the main scanning direction, the print data including data indicating either ON or OFF for each heating element, the printing device being configured to perform image formation on the print target on the basis of the print data while causing the print head and the print target to move relative to each other in the sub scanning direction to thereby form an image represented by the print data on the print target, the printing device being configured to form the image by causing, on the basis of the print data, selected one or more of the heating elements to generate heat to transfer ink of the ink ribbon onto the print target line by line, the image represented by the print data being constituted by a plurality of dots defined by the plurality of heating elements, one line being constituted by a plurality of sub-lines, each sub-line being constituted by a plurality of sub-dots, the sub-dot being a printing unit obtained by dividing the dot into M parts in the sub-scanning direction, where M is an integer of two or greater, the sub-dot for which the print data indicates ON being a printing area, the sub-dot for which the print data indicates OFF being a non-printing area, an area outside a printing region being the non-printing area,

• the print data editing method comprising:
• (a) acquiring print data representing an image;
• and
• (b) converting the print data acquired in (a), the converting in (b) comprising:
• (b1) determining, as a conversion sub-dot, one or more of the sub-dots included in the sub-line for each of all the sub-lines constituting the one line within the printing areas in the image represented by the print data acquired in (a);
• and
• (b2) editing the print data acquired in (a) such that the print data acquired in (a) indicates OFF for the one or more sub-dots determined in (b1) as the conversion sub-dot.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of computer-readable instructions for a print data editing device comprising a processor configured to edit print data to be used in a printing device, the printing device including a print head, a conveying unit, and an ink ribbon, the print head including a plurality of heating elements linearly arrayed in a main scanning direction, the conveying unit being configured to cause the print head and a print target to move relative to each other in a sub scanning direction crossing to the main scanning direction, the print data including data indicating either ON or OFF for each heating element, the printing device being configured to perform image formation on the print target on the basis of the print data while causing the print head and the print target to move relative to each other in the sub scanning direction to thereby form an image represented by the print data on the print target, the printing device being configured to form the image by causing, on the basis of the print data, selected one or more of the heating elements to generate heat to transfer ink of the ink ribbon onto the print target line by line, the image represented by the print data being constituted by a plurality of dots defined by the plurality of heating elements, one line being constituted by a plurality of sub-lines, each sub-line being constituted by a plurality of sub-dots, the sub-dot being a printing unit obtained by dividing the dot into M parts in the sub-scanning direction, where M is an integer of two or greater, the sub-dot for which the print data indicates ON being a printing area, the sub-dot for which the print data indicates OFF being a non-printing area, an area outside a printing region being the non-printing area,

• the set of computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the print data editing device to perform:
• (a) acquiring print data representing an image;
• and
• (b) converting the print data acquired in (a), the converting in (b) comprising:
• (b1) determining, as a conversion sub-dot, one or more of the sub-dots included in the sub-line for each of all the sub-lines constituting the one line within the printing areas in the image represented by the print data acquired in (a);
• and
• (b2) editing the print data acquired in (a) such that the print data acquired in (a) indicates OFF for the one or more sub-dots determined in (b1) as the conversion sub-dot.