Overview; Scpi Language Basics - Keysight N9320B Programmer's Manual

Programming Fundamentals

Overview

Overview

SCPI Language Basics

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This section is not intended to teach you everything about the SCPI
(Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments)
programming language. The SCPI Consortium or IEEE provides
that level of detailed information.
Programming with SCPI requires knowledge of:
• Computer programming languages, such as C, C++, and
MicrosoftâVisual Basicâ.
• The language of your instrument. The N9320B employs SCPI as
its programming language.
The semantic requirements of your controller's language determine
how the programming commands and responses are handled in
your application program.
SCPI is an ASCII-based instrument command language designed
for test and measurement instruments, with the goal of reducing
automatic test equipment (ATE) program development time.
SCPI accomplishes this goal by providing a consistent
programming environment for instrument control and data usage.
This consistent programming environment is achieved by the use of
defined program messages, instrument responses, and data
formats across all SCPI instruments.
By providing a consistent programming environment, replacing one
SCPI instrument with another SCPI instrument in a system will
usually require less effort than with non-SCPI instrument.
SCPI is not a standard which completely provides for
interchangeable instrumentation. SCPI helps move toward
interchangeability by defining instrument commands and
responses, but not functionality, accuracy, resolution, etc.