Quantum Data 801GC, 801GF, 801GX Creating your own format file, Entering the format parameters

Creating your own format file

There are two ways to add signal formats to the 801G*. You can create and edit formats using the built-in GUI editor that is discussed in an earlier section. You can also create format files on a com- puter and download them to the 801G* using either the RS-232 or IEEE-488 ports.

Before you can download a format file, you have to have to create it on your computer. The files con- tain ASCII text that defines all of the format’s pa- rameters. An example of such a file is shown on the next page. You can use any text editing program on your computer that can save your work as straight ASCII text. This section of the manual has informa- tion on how to define a format for a particular dis- play. Other parts of the manual cover connecting a computer and down loading data.

You will need to know the signal specifications of the display in order to enter your format. Most of the data can be found in a detailed specification sheet for the display. The rest of this section will tell you how to convert the spec sheet data into a usable format.

Entering the format parameters

We are now ready to start entering the parameters. One of the commands available on the 801G* is FMTN. This command initializes all of the parameters to known default values. The default values are shown in the description of the FMTN command. You do not need to enter the parameter and its value if the value matches the FMTN setting. Detailed discus- sions of each parameter are presented in alphabeti- cal order at the end of this chapter.

The first step is to determine if you are working with an analog or a digital display. An analog dis- play can show an endless range of colors or shades of gray. Analog displays normally accept video sig-

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