Method and apparatus for automatic printing from microfilm of short image areas

In an apparatus for printing enlargements of image frames stored on a storage medium in miniature form the apparatus including display means for displaying an enlargement of the desired image frame to be reproduced, means for automatically locating the image frame for display on said display means, operator enterable selection means for cooperating with said automatic locating means for controlling said locating means so that said image frame is initially displayed automatically at a position convenient for viewing by said operator in accordance with his/her selection, reproducing means for forming an enlargement of one image frame upon a copy sheet of a size not substantially dependent upon the length of the image frame to be printed, the improvement which comprises:

• control means for determining a first parameter related to the distance between a first reference associated with said image frame and a second reference associated with said apparatus and independent of said first reference and for determining a second parameter related to the length of said image frame and in response generating signals to control said reproducing means to reproduced said image frame on said copy sheet without reproducing an adjacent image frame on said same copy sheet and without the need for the operator to adjust the displayed image frame from that position selected for convenient viewing.