PURPOSE: To reduce the cost of a spool message controlling system, by providing a spool message log file which collects and records information, such as error information, etc., necessary for system recovery and outputted from an output device while the output device operates in accordance with outputs from a spool file.

CONSTITUTION: When an error, etc., occurs while an output device 4 executes prescribed operations in accordance with data stored in a spool file 3, a writer 213 stores the state information in a spool message log file 5. On the other hand, the operator of an ordinary terminal 1 actuates an inquiry program 214 by performing prescribed operations and inquires the spool message log file 5 for its storing data by means of the operations of the inquiry program 214. Then the operator informs and displays the stored state information to and on the ordinary terminal 1 and performs pertinent recovery operations in accordance with the displayed content. Therefore, necessity of a console which is exclusively used for state information is eliminated and a more inexpensive system constitution becomes possible.