Scan Builder Page - Keithley 708B Reference Manual

Section 2: General operation

Scan Builder page

The Scan Builder page allows you to set up and run scans and triggers.
A scan is a series of steps that opens and closes switches sequentially for a selected group of
channels. During each step, actions occur, such as waiting for a trigger, taking a measurement on an
external instrument, and completing a step count. Scans automate actions that you want to perform
consistently and repeatedly on a set of channels.
Triggers are events that prompt the instrument to move from one step to another in a scan. Triggers
can come from a variety of sources, such as a key press, digital input, or expiration of a timer. The
sequence of actions and events that occur during the scan is called the trigger model, described in
Trigger model
Scanning and triggering allow you to synchronize actions across channels. You can set up a scan
using the trigger model to precisely time and synchronize the Model 707B or 708B between channels
and multiple instruments. You can also use triggers without the triggering model to set up a scan to
meet the needs of a specific application that does not fit the triggering model.
If you use Scan Builder to create a scan, use the options in the Scan Builder page to run the scan.
Using the TSB Embedded page may not give you the expected results.
Create a scan list
Before you can run a scan, you must create a scan list. A scan list is a set of steps that runs in order
during a scan. Each step contains a channel, channels, or channel patterns that you want to measure
in that step. Each step is acted on separately during the scan.
You can mix channel patterns and individual channels in a scan list. Note that the steps are executed
in the order in which they are added to the scan.
Before setting up a scan list, make sure your channels and channel patterns are configured. See
Working with channels
If you change the channel configurations or channel patterns after the scan list has been set up, you
may not see expected results. If the change prevents the scan from functioning properly (such as
deleting something referenced by the scan), an error message is logged.
2-76
(on page 3-1).
(on page 2-87) for detail.
Models 707B and 708B Switching Matrix Reference Manual
NOTE
NOTE
707B-901-01 Rev. A / August 2010