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Programming the Oscilloscope
When you attach an interface module to the rear of the HP 54600-
Series Oscilloscopes, the oscilloscope becomes programmable. That is,
you can hook a controller (such as a PC or workstation) to the
oscilloscope, and write programs on that controller to automate
oscilloscope setup and data capture. Both HP-IB (also known as
GP-IB, IEEE-488) and RS-232-C interfaces are available.
The following figure shows the basic structure of every program you
will write for the oscilloscope.
Initialize
To ensure consistent, repeatable performance, you need to start the
program, controller, and oscilloscope in a known state. Without
correct initialization, your program may run correctly in one instance
and not in another. This might be due to changes made in
configuration by previous program runs or from the front panel of the
oscilloscope.
•
Program initialization defines and initializes variables, allocates
memory, or tests system configuration.
•
Controller initialization ensures that the interface to the
oscilloscope (either HP-IB or RS-232) is properly setup and ready
for data transfer.
•
Oscilloscope initialization sets the channel, trigger, timebase, and
acquisition subsystems for the desired measurement.
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