PURPOSE: To improve ease of operation for an operator by providing a means of setting the number of printing paper sheets to be stopped through a host computer, a means of stopping printing of cut sheets, and a means of notifying the host computer that printing has stopped.

CONSTITUTION: A connection to a host computer 1 is made so as to communicate through a network 2, and a cut paper sheet printed according to a command from the host computer 1 by a printer 3 is discharged to a discharged paper tray. At this time, by a setting means, the number of printing sheets to be stopped designated by the host computer 1 within the nor of the cut sheets to be loaded in the discharged paper tray is set. when the nor of the printed cut sheets reaches the preset number of printing paper sheets to be stopped, printing of the cut sheets is stopped by a stopping means, and it is notified to the host computer 1 by a notifying means that printing has been stopped. It is thus possible for an operator to grasp the condition of discharged paper, preventing the cut paper sheet from overflowing out of the discharged paper tray of the printer.