SCPI Command Reference
A-6 975-0200-01-01

Terminating Characters

Every command string must end with a terminating <new line> character.
It is also acceptable to use a <carriage return> followed by a <new line>.
Terminating a command string always resets the SCPI command path to
the root level.

Common Commands

The IEEE-488.2 standard includes a set of common commands for
functions such as reset and self-test. These common commands always
start with an asterisk (*), contain 4 or 5 characters, and may have one or
more parameters. The command is always separated from the parameter
by a blank space. Multiple commands sent in the same string are
separated by a semi-colon (;). The following is an example of how 3
common commands can be sent together in the same string:
*OPC; *PSC Off; *TRG
Parameter Types
Several different data types are defined for use in program messages and
response messages.

Boolean Parameters

Boolean parameters are single binary conditions such as 1 and 0, or ON
and OFF. The following is an example of a command that uses Boolean
parameters:
SYST:COMM:GPIB:PONS {ON|OFF|1|0}

Discrete Parameters

Discrete parameters are used when program settings have a limited
number of values. If you query a discrete parameter, the response will
always be in the short form with all uppercase letters. The following is an
example of a command that uses discrete parameters:
TRIG:SOUR {BUS|EXT|IMM|NONE}