Dot matrix printer

A method of setting a print positions of character strings, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining numbers of effective dots of character patterns in a first character string with respect to a first character string reference line;
• designating a print position of a font of said first character string according to information of said font and information of said first character string reference line, said designating step including the steps of:
• comparing a distance from an upper boundary of a current print area to said first character string reference line for said first character string with a width of a print head;
• comparing a full height of said first character string with the width of said print head when the distance from the upper boundary of said current print area to said first character string reference line is smaller than the width of said print head;
• comparing the sum of a lower height of said first character string from said first character string reference line to a lowermost end of said first character string and the distance from the upper boundary of said current print area to said first character string reference line with the width of said print head when the full height of said first character string is not greater than the width of said print head;
• converting said first character string into bit map data to be printed when the sum of a lower height of said first character string from said first character string reference line to a lowermost end of said first character string and the distance from the upper boundary of said current print area to said first character string reference line is less than the width of said print head;
• comparing the numbers of effective dots with the numbers of printable dots of said print head;
• determining whether a second character string and said first character string fit together within the width of said print head if a maximum value of the numbers of effective dots of a sum of said first and second character strings is smaller than the width of said print head;
• setting a print position of said first and second character strings that fit together within the width of said print head;
• and
• updating a print start line position of said second character string if the second character string and said first character string do not fit together within the width of said print head so that said second character string is printed in a consecutive scan of said print head while said first character string is output from said output processing means to said print head.