PURPOSE: To continue an operation without stopping printing, by providing a means for storing color codes corresponding to colors in which printing is to be performed, a means for printing information in the colors corresponding to the color codes, means for detecting a color in which printing can no longer be performed, and a means for changing over the color for the color thus detected to the color code for other color in which printing can be performed.

CONSTITUTION: When printing is not finished in a normal condition, a printing part 11 sends information on the fault to a printing-controlling part 9. The printing- controlling part 9 sets the fault information into an I/O buffer 1, and reports the generation of the fault to a host device. The host device reports color changeover information constituted of a color code for a color in which printing can no longer be performed and a color code for a color to be used as a substitute, to a printer. The color changeover information is sent to a color code changeover part 3 through the I/O buffer 1. Based on the color changeover information, the color code changeover part 3 changes over the color code in a color changeover table corresponding to the color in which printing can no longer be performed to a color code for a substitutive color. Consequently, the operation can be continued based on the same printing information (including color designation) without stopping printing.