Abstract: The guide bars of a warp knitting machine are automatically controlled in accordance with a desired pattern in synchronism with the rotation of a main shaft of the machine through control apparatus comprising a memory capable of storing information on a pattern of stitches to be formed, a control controlling rotation of the main shaft and giving instructions to the memory to produce a pattern signal for each course, a signal distributor receiving the pattern signals from the memory, and respective servo drive mechanisms for each guide bar and each including a servo motor. Responsive to the pattern signal from the signal distributor, each servo motor controls the length of linear movement of its associated guide bar. The signal distributor is a pulse distributor, and the pulses are effective to step the servo motors through predetermined angles of rotation with the rotation of each servo motor being converted into a corresponding linear displacement of an element for operating the associated guide bar.