2606B System SourceMeter® Instrument Reference Manual
Section 3: Functions and features
2606B-901-01 Rev. B / May 2018
3-71
Returning a text message
The
display.gettext()
function returns the displayed message (
text
) and can be used in five
ways:
text
= display.gettext()
text
= display.gettext(
embellished
)
text
= display.gettext(
embellished
,
row
)
text
= display.gettext(
embellished
,
row
,
columnStart
)
text
= display.gettext(
embellished
,
row
,
columnStart
,
columnEnd
)
Where:
embellished
Returns text as a simple character string (
false
) or includes character codes (
true
)
row
The row to read text from (
1
or
2
); if not included, text from both rows is read
columnStart
Starting column for reading text
columnEnd
Ending column for reading text
Sending the command without the
row
parameter returns both lines of the display. The
$N
character
code will be included to show where the top line ends and the bottom line begins. The
$N
character
code will be returned even if
embellished
is set to
false
.
With
embellished
set to
true
, all other character codes that were used in the creation of each
message line will be returned along with the message. With
embellished
set to
false
, only the
message will be returned.
Sending the command without the
columnStart
parameter defaults to column 1. Sending the
command without the
columnEnd
argument defaults to the last column (column 20 for row 1, column
32 for row 2).
Input prompting
You can use display messaging with virtual front panel controls to make a user script interactive. In
an interactive script, input prompts are displayed so that the operator can perform a prescribed action
using the virtual front panel controls. While displaying an input prompt, the test will pause and wait for
the operator to perform the prescribed action.
Menu
You can present a user-defined menu on the display. The menu consists of the menu name on the
top line and a selectable list of menu items on the bottom line. To define a menu, use the
display.menu(
menu
,
items
)
function.
Where:
menu
The name of the menu; use a string of up to 20 characters (including spaces)
items
A string is made up of one or more menu items; each item must be separated by white space
When the
display.menu()
function is sent, script execution waits for the operator to select one of
the menu items. Rotate the navigation wheel to place the blinking cursor on a menu item. Items that
do not fit in the display area are displayed by rotating the navigation wheel to the right. With the
cursor on the menu item, press the navigation wheel (or the
ENTER
key) to select it.
Pressing the EXIT (LOCAL) key does not abort the script while the menu is displayed, but it will return
nil
. The script can be aborted by calling the
exit()
function when
nil
is returned.
