Remote Control
R&S
®
ESR
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User Manual 1175.7068.02 ─ 12
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Common commands
: their function and syntax are precisely defined in stan-
dard IEEE 488.2. They are employed identically on all instruments (if imple-
mented). They refer to functions such as management of the standardized sta-
tus registers, reset and self-test.
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Instrument control commands
refer to functions depending on the features of
the instrument such as frequency settings. Many of these commands have also
been standardized by the SCPI committee. These commands are marked as
"SCPI confirmed" in the command reference chapters. Commands without this
SCPI label are device-specific; however, their syntax follows SCPI rules as per-
mitted by the standard.
Instrument responses
Instrument responses (response messages and service requests) are messages the
instrument sends to the controller after a query. They can contain measurement
results, instrument settings and information on the instrument status.
11.1.1.3
LAN Interface
To be integrated in a LAN, the instrument is equipped with a LAN interface, consisting
of a connector, a network interface card and protocols. The network card can be oper-
ated with a 10 MHz Ethernet IEEE 802.3 or a 100 MHz Ethernet IEEE 802.3u inter-
face. For remote control via a network, the PC and the instrument must be connected
via the LAN interface to a common network with TCP/IP network protocol. They are
connected using a commercial RJ45 cable (shielded or unshielded twisted pair cate-
gory 5). The TCP/IP network protocol and the associated network services are precon-
figured on the instrument. Software for instrument control and the VISA program library
must be installed on the controller.
VISA library
Instrument access via VXI-11 or RSIB protocols is usually achieved from high level
programming platforms using VISA as an intermediate abstraction layer. VISA encap-
sulates the low level VXI, RSIB or even GPIB function calls and thus makes the trans-
port interface transparent for the user. See
Chapter 11.1.1.1, "VISA Libraries"
IP address
Only the IP address or a valid DNS host name is required to set up the connection.
The host address is part of the "VISA resource string" used by the programs to identify
and control the instrument.
The VISA resource string has the form:
TCPIP::host address[::LAN device name][::INSTR]
or
TCPIP::host address::port::SOCKET
where:
Remote Control - Basics
