Chapter 5 Remote Interface Reference

An Introduction to the SCPI Language

Querying Parameter Settings

You can query the current value of most parameters by adding a question mark ( ? ) to the command. For example, the following command sets the scan count to 10 sweeps:

"TRIG:COUN 10"

You can query the scan count value by executing:

"TRIG:COUN?"

You can also query the minimum or maximum scan count allowed as follows:

"TRIG:COUN? MIN" "TRIG:COUN? MAX"

SCPI Command Terminators

A command string sent to the instrument may be terminated with a

<new line> character. The IEEE-488 EOI (end-or-identify) message can

be used to terminate a command string in place of a <new line>5 character. A <carriage return> followed by a <new line> is also accepted. Command string termination will always reset the current SCPI

command path to the root level.

IEEE-488.2 Common Commands

The IEEE-488.2 standard defines a set of common commands that perform functions like factory reset, self-test, and status operations. Common commands always begin with an asterisk ( * ), are four to five characters in length, and may include one or more parameters. The command keyword is separated from the first parameter by a blank space. Use a semicolon ( ; ) to separate multiple commands as shown below:

"*RST; *CLS; *ESE 32; *OPC?"

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