Printing apparatus, and elongate printing paper transporting method for printing apparatus

An elongate printing paper transporting method for a printing apparatus having a printing unit, a drying unit, a plurality of cooling rollers, an upstream drive roller located in a position upstream of and adjacent the cooling rollers for transporting the elongate printing paper, and a downstream drive roller located downstream of and adjacent the cooling rollers, the method comprising:

• a transporting step for transporting the elongate printing paper by the upstream drive roller and the downstream drive roller;
• a printing step for printing by the printing unit on the elongate printing paper transported;
• a step of heating and drying, by the drying unit, print portions of the elongate printing paper printed by the printing unit;
• a step of cooling, by the cooling rollers, the print portions dried by the drying unit;
• and
• a transportation halting step for halting transportation of the elongate printing paper after completion of the printing on the elongate printing paper by the printing unit;
• wherein, at a time of the transportation halting step, at least one of the upstream drive roller and the downstream drive roller is controlled to make a tension value of the elongate printing paper between the upstream drive roller and the downstream drive roller lower than a tension value at a time of the transporting step, so that at least part of contact portions of the elongate printing paper in contact with the cooling rollers separate from the cooling rollers.