ST2883 Series Operation Manual Chapter 8 SCPI Command reference
8-1
Chapter 8 Command reference
8.1 Command structure
ST2883 series has two types of commands: GPIB common commands and SCPI commands. The GPIB common
commands are defined in IEEE std.488.2-1987, and these commands are common for all devices. Not all GPIB
commands are supported by the ST2883 series. The SCPI commands are used to control all of the ST2883’s
functions. The SCPI commands are tree-structured and three-level deep. (The highest level commands are called
the subsystem commands in this manual.) So the lower level commands are legal only when the subsystem
commands have been selected. A colon (:) is used to separate the higher level commands and the lower level
commands. See Figure 8-1 for a sample.
COMParator
AREAsize
DIFFzone
COMP:AREA ON
COMP:DIFF OFF
RANGe
COMP:AREA:RANG 0,6000
Figure 8-1 Command Tree
Basic rules of commands structure:
Letter case (upper and lower) is ignored.
For example: COMP:AREA ON = comp:area on = Comp:aRea On
Space (_ indicates a space) must not be placed before and/ or after a colon (:).
For example:
COMP _:_ AREA ON
COMP:AREA ON
Space is used to partition off command and parameter. Commands locate before space and their corresponding
parameters put after space.
For example: COMP:AREA ON, AREA is command, ON is parameter.
Some command has no parameter.
For example: Trigger command-TRIG, Standard waveform choosing command: SWAVE:CHOOSE
The command can be completely spelled out or in abbreviated type. (The rules of command abbreviation are
described later in this section, and abbreviation is spelling out in upper letter case.)
For example: COMPARATOR:AREASIZE ON = COMP:AREA ON
The command header should be followed by a question mark (?) to generate a query for that command.
For example: COMP:AREA?
Multiple command rules:
The semicolon (;) can be used as a separator to execute multiple commands on a single line. The multiple
command rules are as follows.
Commands at the same level and in the same subsystem command group can be separated by a semicolon (;) on
a multiple command line.
For example: COMP:AREA:STAT ON;RANG 0,6000
STA ON and RANG 0,6000 are commands in the same level and subcommands under AREA.
