In a printing apparatus including a reception buffer which stores setting
data and printing data of printing element arrays transmitted from a
connected host device, and a printing buffer which stores the printing
data of the printing element arrays in association with printing
positions in a scanning direction, the printing data are controlled to be
stored in the printing buffer by adjusting the storage positions of the
printing data of the printing element arrays on the basis of registration
information which is contained in the setting data and corresponds to the
relative distance between the printing element arrays in the scanning
direction. Read address information for reading out the printing data
stored in the printing buffer is controlled for each printing element
array. Printing is performed by driving each printing element array in
accordance with the printing data read out on the basis of the read
address information. The printing apparatus executes a registration
adjustment process associated with the relative distance between the
printing element arrays that has conventionally been done in a host
device, simplifying a printing data generation process by the host
device.