Agilent Technologies InfiniiVision 5000 Series Programmer's Manual page 660

11
More About Oscilloscope Commands
Instruction The instruction header is one or more mnemonics separated by colons (:)
Header
that represent the operation to be performed by the instrument. The
"Command Tree"
joined together to form a complete header.
":DISPlay:LABel ON" is a command. Queries are indicated by adding a
question mark (?) to the end of the header, for example, ":DISPlay:LABel?".
Many instructions can be used as either commands or queries, depending
on whether or not you have included the question mark. The command
and query forms of an instruction usually have different program data.
Many queries do not use any program data.
There are three types of headers:
•
•
•
White Space White space is used to separate the instruction header from the program
(Separator)
data. If the instruction does not require any program data parameters, you
do not need to include any white space. White space is defined as one or
more space characters. ASCII defines a space to be character 32 (in
decimal).
Program Data Program data are used to clarify the meaning of the command or query.
They provide necessary information, such as whether a function should be
on or off, or which waveform is to be displayed. Each instruction's syntax
definition shows the program data, as well as the values they accept.
"Program Data Syntax Rules"
about acceptable values.
When there is more than one data parameter, they are separated by
commas(,). Spaces can be added around the commas to improve
readability.
Program
The program instructions within a data message are executed after the
Message program message terminator is received. The terminator may be either an
Terminator
NL (New Line) character, an EOI (End- Or- Identify) asserted in the
programming interface, or a combination of the two. Asserting the EOI
sets the EOI control line low on the last byte of the data message. The NL
character is an ASCII linefeed (decimal 10).
New Line Terminator Functions. The NL (New Line) terminator has the same function as
N O T E
an EOS (End Of String) and EOT (End Of Text) terminator.
Long Form to Short Form Truncation Rules
To get the short form of a command/keyword:
660
on page 663 illustrates how all the mnemonics can be
"Simple Command Headers"
"Compound Command Headers"
"Common Command Headers"
Agilent InfiniiVision 5000 Series Oscilloscopes Programmer's Guide
on page 661
on page 661
on page 662
on page 662 describes all of the general rules