Embroidery data generation apparatus and computer program product

An embroidery data generation apparatus that generates embroidery data based on image data of an image that is an aggregate of pixels, the embroidery data generation apparatus comprising:

• a thread color number setting portion that sets a number of use thread colors as a set number, the use thread colors being thread colors to be actually used in embroidery sewing by a sewing machine;
• a representable color identifying portion that identifies available thread colors and at least one intermediate color as representable colors, the available thread colors being thread colors available for use in the embroidery sewing by the sewing machine, and each of the at least one intermediate color being an intermediate color between two colors among the available thread colors;
• a first usage frequency calculating portion that calculates first usage frequencies of the representable colors, each of the first usage frequencies being a usage frequency of each of the representable colors in the image that is color-reduced using, as representative colors, the representable colors identified by the representable color identifying portion;
• and
• a use thread color determining portion that, based on the first usage frequencies calculated by the first usage frequency calculating portion, determines, as the use thread colors, available thread colors of the set number set by the thread color number setting portion, from among the available thread colors.