To facilitate an operation by displaying various type messages such as the residue of a ribbon or the like on a monitor television.

In displaying the residue of a ribbon, a microcomputer (CPU) 6 judges the type of the present ribbon according to whether a residual ribbon button is ON or OFF. That is, the types of the ribbon are three of a black and white ribbon, color ribbon and OHP ribbon or four of these three types and no engagement of the ribbon. The CPU selects the four types. When the ribbon is inserted into a cover, the CPU reads how many ribbons of the white and black, color and OHP ribbons are retained from a memory, and displays it on a monitor television 3. When the ink ribbon cassette is not inserted into the cover, 'NO CASSETTE' is displayed. After these predetermined displays are executed, the CPU 6 judges whether the button becomes OFF or not. In the case of NO, the CPU 6 repeatedly judges, while in the case of YES, the respective displays are erased on the screen of the television 3.