Method and apparatus for printing continuous pattern

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for printing a pattern which is obtained by making a second basic figure from the first basic figure; making output data based on the second basic figure, the output data representing an output figure which is obtained by joining a plurality of the second basic figures consecutively side by side in both the first and second directions so that the second basic figures are arranged in a plurality of parallel rows extending in the second direction, while shifting in the second direction the second basic figures located in each one of the rows from the second basic figures located in another row adjacent to the one row by a predetermined shifting distance including zero; and printing on a given web the output figure by using the output data; wherein the step of making the second basic figure comprises a first substep of dividing the first basic figure into first and second areas of equal sizes in the first direction; a second substep of dividing in the second direction each of the first and second areas into two small regions with a division ratio determined by a ratio of the shifting distance to a length of the first basic figure in the second direction such that the two small regions diagonally positioned have equal sizes; and a third substep of replacing the two small regions diagonally positioned by each other thereby to form the second basic figure.