Chapter 8 Command Line Operation; Command-Line Interface Overview - THORLABS HPLS301 User Manual

Free-Space Plasma Light Source
Command Line Operation
Chapter 8
8.1.

Command-Line Interface Overview

The HPLS300 series light sources can be controlled by a command-line language through the USB port. Users
can either use a terminal emulator or write their own program to control the unit. The command language is
described below. Prior to running the command-line interface, the included drivers should be installed, the unit
should be powered on, and a USB cable should be connected between the light source and the host PC.
The terminal emulator should be configured as follows:
 Baud Rate: 115.2 kbps
 Data Bits: 8
 Parity: None
 Stop Bits: 1
 Flow Control: None
If the connection parameters are correct, you will see the following after pressing the Enter key (without any
leading commands):
The above error indicates that an empty command (which is equivalent to an incorrect command) has been sent.
The basic structure of the interface is a keyword followed by either an equals sign (=) or a question mark (?). The
= or ? character determines if the string is a command or a query. All strings, commands, and queries must be
terminated by a carriage return (CR) or by pressing the Enter key on the computer.
The command structure is as follows:
Here, "keyword" defines the function and "argument" as a numerical value followed by a carriage return (CR).
Note that some commands might have more than one argument, separated by a space character.
The query structure is as follows:
Where "keyword" defines the function and the question mark (?) indicates a query. The string is terminated with a
carriage return (CR).
There are a few exceptions to this, which are noted below. Also noted below are unique shortcut keys. The
following table lists the commands and queries available with this device. The prompt symbol (>) appears on
power up and after a command is accepted by the controller, indicating it is ready to receive the next command.
If the command is incorrect, the controller returns CMD_NOT_DEFINED; if the setting value is out of range, it
returns CMD_ARG_RANGE_ERR.
Rev C, June 12, 2019
CMD_NOT_DEFINED
>
Keyword=argument(CR)
Keyword?(CR)
Chapter 8: Command Line Operation
Page 19