Tektronix OA 5000 Command and Query Structure

CommandSyntax
Programming
3 --- 6
Commands consist ofset commands and query commands (usually simply
called commands and queries). Commandsmodify instrument settings or
tell the OA 5000 totak e a specificaction. Queries cause the OA 5000 to
return informationabout its status.
Most commands have both a set formand a query form. The query form of
the command is the same as the set form but with a questionmark on the
end. Forexample, the set command ATT:DB has a query form ATT:DB?.
Not allcommands have both a set and query form; some commands are set
only and some are query only.
A command message is a command orquery name, followed by any infor-
mation the OA 5000 needs toexecute the command or query. Command
messages consist of three differentelement types, defined in Table 3-2 and
shownintheexampleinFigure3-3.
Table3-2: Command Message Elements
Symbol Meaning
<Header> The basic command name. If the header ends with a
question mark, the command is a query.The header
may begin with a colon(:) character; if the command is
concatenated with other commands the beginningcolon
is required. The beginning coloncan never be used with
command headers beginning with star (*).
<Mnemonic> A header sub-function. Some command headers have
only onemnemonic. If a command header has multiple
mnemonics, they are always separated fromeach other
by a colon(:) character.
<Argument> A quantity,quality, restriction, or limit associatedw iththe
header.Not all commands have an argument, while
other commands have multiplearguments. Arguments
are separated from the header by one ormore space
characters. Arguments are separated from each other
by a <Separator>, defined below.
<Separator> A separator between arguments of multiple-argument
commands. The separator can be a single comma, orit
may optionallyhave white space characters before and
after the comma.
ATT:DB 10
Argument
Header
Mnemonics
Figure 3-3: CommandMessage Elements
Command and
Query Structure