Output apparatus and method for accomodating a plurality of signal terminal identifications

A method operative in a printing apparatus for analyzing a plurality of individual control signals and a plurality of individual print data input from a host computer, the apparatus comprising an interface connector connected to the host computer and having a plurality of signal terminals, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting the individual control signals to the interface connector, the interface connector being connected to the host computer so that the individual control signals are input to the interface connector in one of a plurality of pin arrangements, each pin arrangement arranging the individual control signals in a different one-to-one relationship with the signal terminals;
• storing, in a memory, a plurality of emulation programs and a corresponding plurality of interface set information associating each of the emulation programs with a respective one of the pin arrangements, each emulation program further corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of individual print data and usable to analyze the plurality of individual control signals and print data input through the interface connector;
• selecting one of the plurality of emulation programs to analyze the respective one of the plurality of individual print data;
• and
• controlling the Plurality of signal terminals to input the individual control signals from the host computer through the interface connector with the pin arrangement defined by the interface set information corresponding to the selected emulation program.