HP WaterSkis E1412A, WaterSkis E1312A manual Command Types, Common Command Format

Chapter 3

Multimeter Command Reference

Using This Chapter

This chapter describes the Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments (SCPI) and IEEE 488.2 Common (*) Commands applicable to the HP E1312A and HP E1412A 6½-Digit Multimeters.

Command Types

Common

Command

Format

Commands are separated into two types: IEEE 488.2 Common Commands and SCPI Commands.

The IEEE 488.2 standard defines the Common commands that perform functions like reset, self-test, status byte query, etc. Common commands are four or five characters in length, always begin with the asterisk character (*), and may include one or more parameters. The command keyword is separated from the first parameter by a space character. Some examples of common commands are shown below:

*RST *ESR 32 *STB?

SCPI

Command

Format

The SCPI commands perform functions such as making measurements, querying instrument states, or retrieving data. The SCPI commands are grouped into command “subsystem structures”. A command subsystem structure is a hierarchical structure that usually consists of a top level (or root) command, one or more low-level commands, and their parameters. The following example shows the root command CALibration and its lower-level subsystem commands:

CALibration :COUNt?

:LFRequency 5060MINMAX :LFRequency? [MINMAX] :SECure:CODE <new code> :SECure:STATe OFFON, <code> :SECure:STATe?

:STRing <quoted string> :STRing?

:VALue <value> :VALue?

:ZERO:AUTO ONOFF :ZERO:AUTO?

CALibration is the root command, COUNt?, LFRequency, LFRequency?, SECure, STRing, STRing?, VALue and VALue? are second level commands, and CODE, STATe and STATe? are third level commands.

Chapter 3 Multimeter Command Reference 67