In this section:
Reading buffers ........................................................................ 6-1
Reading buffers
Buffer overview
Reading buffers capture measurements, channels or channel patterns, instrument status, and
measure functions of the Keithley Instruments Series 3700A.
The Series 3700A uses synchronous reading acquisitions to take readings for a dynamically-created
reading buffer. The instrument stores the numbered readings that are acquired during the storage
process. Each reading includes reading units with options that include timestamp and channel
information. All routines that return measurements can return the measurements in a reading buffer.
Synchronous measurements return a single value or both a single value and a reading buffer. More
advanced users can access the additional information stored in the reading buffer.
You can configure single-point measurement routines to make multiple measurements when only one
would ordinarily be made. Also, the measured value is not the only component of a reading. The
measurement status (for example, limit or overflow) is also data associated with a particular reading.
Create and configure buffers using the front panel or through a remote interface using remote
commands.
Once you create a reading buffer, if you use that buffer name for another buffer or variable,
you can no longer access the original buffer.
Reading buffer names are just like any other global variables in the system. For example, if
buf1
is a
reading buffer name,
buf1 = 5
will cause the reading buffer data currently associated with
buf1
to
be lost and
buf1
to equal 5.
Section 6
Reading buffers
