PURPOSE: To output a printing request from a work station to which no printer is connected, as well, and to execute appropriate printing by deciding the printing request in the work station by a station controller.

CONSTITUTION: When a printing request is outputted by executing an application program 22 from a work station 13 to which no printer is connected, a macro of "1" is given to the application program 22. It is sent to an RMOC program 35 through a signal line 40, from which it is transmitted to a circuit program 34 through a signal line 42, and also sent to a station controller STC11 through a circuit. In the STC11, the printing request is sent to a work station printer program 32 from a circuit program 31, and a printer corresponding to this printing request is retrieved in accordance with a table 33. According to this table, the printing request from the work station 13 is set so as to be printed by a printer 16.