4. Programming Interfaces
Giga-tronics 2400/2500 Microwave Synthesizer Series
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Programming Manual, Part Number 34783, Rev A, July 2009
4.4 SCPI Command Set
The SCPI format and commands supported by 2400/2500 is explained in this section.
4.4.1 SCPI Command Format
SCPI conformance requires adherence to a strict syntax structure. The typographic conventions
employed in the tables within each of the subsystem descriptions under “SCPI Command Subsystems”,
below, are summarized in this section.
Case Sensitivity
SCPI commands are not case-sensitive and can be entered in either uppercase or
lowercase characters.
Abbreviating Commands
•
Letters noted in upper case.
•
If entering more than the required letters, the entire command must be entered. For example, if the
command syntax is shown as INITiate, either INIT, init, INITIATE, or initiate can be used.
Optional Commands
If the syntax shows a portion of a SCPI command in square brackets, that portion is
an implied command which can be omitted. An implied command is the default command among the
commands available at its level. For example, in the case of the command INITiate:[IMMediate], the
immediate mode is the default mode, therefore, entering INIT has the same effect as entering INIT:IMM.
NOTE:
The square brackets
[ ]
themselves are not actually part of the command; hence, they should be
omitted even if the optional command is entered.
Queries
Most SCPI commands have an accompanying query form that can be sent to cause the
instrument to return the current state of the parameter setting. For example, the query form of the
TRIGger: SOURce BUS|EXTernal command is TRIGger:SOURce? Some SCPI commands are events that
cause something to happen at a particular time but do not create a setting or value to be checked
afterwards. Consequently, they have no query form.