Fluke 8588A Operator's Manual page 117

Reference Multimeter and 8 ½ Digit Multimeter
Triggering Measurements
Select Epoch to setup triggering based on the real-time clock of the Product.
Epoch mode is an extension to the SCPI remote trigger model. Epoch mode can
be used to change the Initiate layer from Continuous OFF to Continuous ON at a
particular date/time and then back to Continuous OFF at a later date/time. Epoch
behavior depends on the current Initiate Mode state. If Continuous is set to ON,
the Epoch start time has no effect. At Epoch stop time Continuous is set to OFF.
If at Epoch start Continuous is OFF, then Continuous becomes ON at Epoch
start and back to OFF at Epoch stop time. See the screen below:
iei030.png
Epoch start and stop times are ignored unless they are in the future when the
Continuous state is changed. For example, if Continuous is set to ON at exactly
the Epoch stop time, Epoch Stop is ignored and continuous remains ON.
 switches between Continuous ON and OFF no matter what the Epoch
settings are.  will have no effect if Continuous is ON. If continuous is OFF,
pushing  exits from the initiate layer irrespective of Epoch settings.
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