A control system for a dot matrix line printer having one print element for each character position on the line; a single-line memory stores the data words for a line of characters and those data words are supplied to a character signal generator sequentially to print the dots for an initial matrix position in a c.times.r matrix for all characters, whereupon the print elements are shifted one column increment along the print line. This procedure is repeated for each dot matrix position, the record sheet being advanced one row increment each time c column positions have been printed. After completion of c.multidot.r scans, printing of a full line of characters is complete, the single-line memory is cleared, and the process is started again for the next line of characters, after a line-space feed of the record sheet.