2 - Introduction to Programming

NOTE: All RS-232 response data sent by the dc source is terminated by the ASCII character pair <carriage return><newline>. This differs from GPIB response data which is terminated by the single character <newline> with EOI asserted.

SCPI Data Formats

All data programmed to or returned from the dc source is ASCII. The data may be numerical or character string.

Numerical Data Formats

Symbol

<NR1>

<NR2>

<NR3>

<Nrf>

<Nrf+>

<Bool>

Data Form

Talking Formats

Digits with an implied decimal point assumed at the right of the least-significant digit. Examples: 273

Digits with an explicit decimal point. Example: .0273

 

Digits with an explicit decimal point and an exponent. Example: 2.73E+2

 

 

Listening Formats

 

 

Extended format that includes <NR1>, <NR2> and <NR3>. Examples: 273 273.

2.73E2

Expanded decimal format that includes <NRf> and MIN MAX. Examples: 273

273.

2.73E2 MAX. MIN and MAX are the minimum and maximum limit values that are implicit in the range specification for the parameter.

Boolean Data. Example: 0 1 or ON OFF

Suffixes and Multipliers

Class

Suffix

Unit

Unit with Multiplier

Current

A

ampere

MA (milliampere)

Amplitude

V

volt

MV (millivolt)

Time

S

second

MS (millisecond)

 

Common Multipliers

 

1E3

 

K

kilo

1E-3

 

M

milli

1E-6

 

U

micro

Response Data Types

Character strings returned by query statements may take either of the the following forms, depending on the length of the returned string:

<CRD>

Character Response Data. Permits the return of character strings.

<AARD>

Arbitrary ASCII Response Data. Permits the return of undelimited 7-bit ASCII. This data type

 

has an implied message terminator.

<SRD>

String Response Data. Returns string parameters enclosed in double quotes.

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