Printer system having local control for dynamically alterable printing

Printing apparatus for developing a printout of character print data contained within a data stream received from a remote source, comprising:

• print medium transport means including tractor means responsive to first signals and operative to move a print medium in a first direction;
• print head means responsive to second signals and operative to cause communicative characters to be developed on said print medium;
• carriage means responsive to third signals and operative to alternatively move said print head means in second and third opposite directions transverse to said first direction, said carriage means being further operative to develop position feedback signals;
• input means responsive to a stream of input data including character print data, character position data and format data and operative to develop command signals;
• look ahead scan means for scanning said print command signals and for determining the distances between the last print position to be assumed by said print head means during a current print line and the respective opposite extreme print positions to be assumed by said print head means during the next succeeding print line and for developing a motion signal indicating which of said extreme print positions is closest to said last print position;
• control means responsive to said motion signals, said feedback signals and said command signals and operative to develop said first signals, said second signals and said third signals such that said print head means and said print medium are relatively positioned to effect printout of the first line of print characters, and thereafter upon completion of the printing of the last character on the first and each succeeding print line, said print medium is advanced and said carriage means is caused to move said print head means directly from its last print position of each print line to the nearest one of said opposite extreme print positions of the next succeeding print line without first returning to a fixed reference position and is thereafter caused to move toward the other extreme print position as printout of said next succeeding print line is effected.