Printing apparatus and method

A printing apparatus for printing on a print medium based on internal data stored therein or external data inputted from an external storage device,

• the printing apparatus comprising:
• first input means for inputting data and various instructions;
• internal storage means for storing the data inputted by said first input means, as the internal data;
• second input means for inputting the external data stored in the external storage device;
• printing mode-setting means for setting a printing mode to either an internal printing mode in which printing can be performed based on the internal data stored in said internal storage means or an external printing mode in which printing can be performed based on the external data inputted by said second input means;
• printing means for printing on the print medium in the printing mode set by said printing mode-setting means;
• determining means for determining whether an automatic power-off function of automatically turning off power should be enabled or disabled;
• and
• automatic power-off means for automatically turning off the power when a predetermined time period has elapsed without input by said first input means and by said second input means, if said determining means has determined that the automatic power-off function should be enabled;
• said determining means including means for determining whether the automatic power-off function should be enabled or disabled according to the printing mode set by said printing mode-setting means.