If the printer generates the printing data itself completely, the processor in the printer generates the printing data after performing the predetermined processing based on the status information data by use of the font ROM, etc. The user enables the printing initiation instruction on the status information to be implemented by the switch on the printer (the printing initiation instruction module and the output initiation instruction monitoring module). With the printing initiation instruction, the printer and the host computer perform the two-way communication through the parallel communication I/O interfaces. Through the communication, the status information output module once transmits the status information obtained in the status information acquisition module on the printer to the host computer. When the status information acquisition module on the printer obtains the status information on the host computer, the printing data output module generates the printing file, and then the printing data output module implements the printing job for the printing file. Therefore, it is not necessary to equip the processor and the font ROM with the printer to generate the printing data. The status information can be printed on the simple and low-cost printer.