PRINTER

PURPOSE:To use an ink film effectively by a method wherein whether unconsumed area available for a present printing exists or not in the previously used part of an ink film is retrieved by referring to positional information stored in a memory means. CONSTITUTION:With the input of a predetermined mode selection signal ME from a keyboard, unconsumed area of an ink film is retrieved. An arithmetic control part 50 determines positional information (PVX, QVX), (PTX, QTX) of an image area and a text area for an image for one frame to be printed on the basis of the stored content of a check result storage memory 48 and compares the positional information (PVX, QVX), (PTX, QTX) with positional information stored in a consumed area history memory 52. If, as a result, positional information (PVi, QVi) of an image area out of contact with, for example, the positional information (PVX, QVX) is retrieved, the arithmetic control part 50 drives a rewinding motor 60 through a drive circuit 56, thereby rewinding an ink film 22 to the used Y, M, or C for one frame.