Fluke PM-3380B, PM-3390B Preparations for Scpi Programming, Getting Started with Scpi Programming

GETTING STARTED WITH SCPI PROGRAMMING 2 - 1

2GETTING STARTED WITH SCPI PROGRAMMING

2.1 Preparations for SCPI Programming

To program your CombiScope instrument, you need a system setup and a programming environment. Various program examples (refer to PROGRAM EXAMPLE:) are given in the following sections. These program examples can be executed one at a time or chained together for a complete tutorial. The program examples are based on the system and programming environment as described below.

Note: All PROGRAM EXAMPLE's in this chapter are supplied on floppy under the file name EXGETSTA.BAS. They are chained together in order of appearance.

2.1.1System setup

•The CombiScope instrument contains a factory-installed IEEE option.

•A PC is used as controller. In the PC an IEEE-488.2 interface (GPIB) board must be installed to turn the PC into a GPIB controller. The GPIB controller

must be connected to the CombiScope instrument via an IEEE cable.

Note: The program examples throughout this manual have been executed on an IBM-compatible PC with the GPIB interface board and software of the product PM2201/03 installed. The PM2201 board is equivalent to the PCIIA board from National Instruments.

2.1.2Programming environment

•MS-QuickBASIC is used as the programming language.

•A number of standard IEEE-488.2 drivers are used to control the CombiScope instrument via the GPIB. These drivers must be included in the application program. Therefore, the first statement of an application program must be as follows:

REM $INCLUDE: ’<path>QBDECL.BAS’

Note: The program examples throughout this manual have been executed using the IEEE-488.2 drivers and the device handler GPIB.COM of the product PM2201/03.