A control system comprises a plurality of peripheral devices represented as objects, and a controller connectable to the plurality of peripheral devices via a common communication line for unitarily controlling the plurality of peripheral devices. The controller is arranged to be connected to an arbitrary number of peripheral devices selected from among the plurality of peripheral devices, read control information stored in the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line into a predetermined memory area of the controller in a predetermined format so that the controller can control the arbitrary number of peripheral devices. The controller is also arranged to issue a command and transmit the command to each of the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line.

A peripheral unit is provided with a control panel that includes a plurality of indicators, each indicator displaying to a user a state condition of the peripheral unit. The control panel also includes a user operable key. A "state" circuit is responsive to a functional state of the peripheral unit to cause the state indicators to manifest a selected one of a set of state conditions. A controller is provided for initiating peripheral unit operations. A state logic machine is responsive to each manifested state of the set and user actuation of the key, to cause the controller to initiate a peripheral unit operations, that operation uniquely related to a state manifested by the indicators.

A method for controlling whether or not to display the status monitor of a device. When a certain application program outputs a printing command and the status monitor of the printer is set to be displayed, data indicative of the application program is first obtained and compared with a list of problem application programs. If the name is not in the list, then the printing status monitor is displayed. However, if the name is found in the list, the status monitor is not displayed. This method increases efficiency of work for the user and prevents such problems as the computer hanging up or the programs being forcibly closed.

A printer device with facsimile function including: a printer for printing printing data; a facsimile for transmitting data input from a scanner to another party's facsimile using a telephone line; an operation panel provided with an operation command input device having a plurality of command input keys, including a first switch for selecting either a facsimile function or a printer function and a second switch for switching some of the plurality of input keys to numerical data input keys; a memory for storing reservation data input from the input keys for communication with a facsimile; and a control section for setting some of the plurality of operation command input keys to the numerical data input keys when the first switch is operated to select a facsimile function and the second switch is operated to switch to the numerical data input keys, for converting numerical data input from the numerical data input keys to dial data, and for controlling a write/read operation of the reservation data to the storing means.