PURPOSE: To omit the waste time, and to shorten the use time by providing a control means for transmitting a permitting signal for retrieving an image to be formed in the next time, to a peripheral equipment.

CONSTITUTION: A microcomputer 60 has a function for bringing a print operating signal to a transmission control to a connected page searcher 4 at the time of an image forming (printing) operation to be executed, and also, for bringing a permitting signal for searching a desired microfilm (page) to a transmission control, when a scan of a film image at the time of execution of printing has been ended, by using this signal line. On the other hand, the page searcher 4 being a peripheral equipment can select arbitrarily a film to be printed in the next time from a cartridge film which has been set, in accordance with a supply of the permitting signal from the microcomputer 60 (reader printer body). In such a way, such a waste time as inhibits a retrieval operation of a film can be omitted.