Command Fundamentals
Commands are separated into two types: IEEE-488.2 Common Commands and
SCPI Commands. The SCPI command set for the HP E1313/E1413 is 1990
compatible.
Common
Command
Format
The IEEE-488.2 standard defines the Common commands that perform functions
like reset, self-test, status byte query, etc. Common commands are four or five
characters in length, always begin with the asterisk character (*), and may include
one or more parameters. The command keyword is separated from the first
parameter by a space character. Some examples of Common commands are:
*RST *ESR 32 *STB?
SCPI
Command
Format
SCPI commands perform functions like starting a scan, making measurements, and
querying instrument states or retrieving data. A subsystem command structure is a
hierarchical structure that usually consists of a top level (or root) command, one or
more lower level commands, and their parameters. The following example shows
part of a typical subsystem:
ROUTe
:SCAN <
scan_list
>
:SEQuence
:DEFine <
scan_list
>,(@<
ch_list
>)
:POINts? <
scan_list
>
ROUTe
is the root command,
:SCAN
(with a parameter) and
:SEQuence
are second
level commands, and
:DEFine
, and
:POINts?
are third level commands.
Command
Separator
A colon (:) always separates one command from the next lower level command as
shown below:
ROUT:SEQ:POINT? LIST1
Colons separate the root command from the second level command
(
ROUTe:SEQuence
) and the second level from the third level (
SEQuence:POINts?
).
The parameter
LIST1
is separated from the command by a space.
Abbreviated
Commands
The command syntax shows most commands as a mixture of upper and lower case
letters. The upper case letters indicate the abbreviated spelling for the command.
For shorter program lines, send the abbreviated form. For better program
readability, send the entire command. The instrument will accept either the
abbreviated form or the entire command.
For example, if the command syntax shows
SEQuence
, then
SEQ
and
SEQUENCE
are both acceptable forms. Other forms of
SEQuence
, such as
SEQU
or
SEQUEN
Chapter 5
HP E1313/E1413 Command Reference 153
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