Chapter 3 Programming Your Universal Counter for Remote Operation

Using Multiple Commands

Using Multiple Commands

Program Messages

Program Messages are a combination of one or more properly formatted SCPI Commands. Program messages always go from a computer to the Counter. They are sent to the Counter over the Counter’s HP-IB as a sequence of ASCII data messages.

Program Message Syntax

Figure 3-4 shows the simplified syntax of a program message. You can see Common Commands and Subsystem Commands in the same program message. If you send more than one command in one message, you must separate adjacent commands with a semicolon.

NOTE:

<new line> = ASCII character decimal 10 ^END = EOI asserted concurrent with last byte

Figure 3-4. Simplified Program Message Syntax Diagram

When using IEEE 488.2 Common commands with SCPI Subsystem commands on the same line, use a semicolon between adjacent commands. For example:

*RST;:INP:COUP AC

When multiple subsystem commands are sent in one program message, the first command is always referenced to the root node. Subsequent commands, separated by “;”, are referenced to the same level as the preceding command if no “:” is present immediately after the command separator (the semicolon).

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Programming Guide