Operating instructions

Introduction to HPSL

Compound Command Queries

When two or more keywords are connected by colons and followed by a question mark, it creates a compound query

statement.

VOLT:TRIG? Compound command queries

CURR:PROT? MEAS:POW?

HPSL Keywords

Keywords (also known as “Instrument Control Headers”) are recognized by the electronic load's decoder, or “parser”. Each

keyword is intended to be descriptive of the statement function. Refer to Figure 4-2 in Chapter 4 - Language Dictionary for

a quick look at all the electronic load keywords.

Forms of Keywords

Every keyword has two forms:

Long Form The word is spelled out completely to identify its function. STATUS, RESISTANCE, and TRIGGER are

long form keywords.

Short Form The word contains only the first three or four letters of the long form. STAT, RES, and TRIG are short

form keywords.

Short forms are constructed according to the following rules:

•

If the keyword consists of four or fewer letters -

 then all the letters are used

•

If the keyword consists of five or more letters -

 and the fourth letter IS NOT a vowel (a,e.i,o,u)

•

then the first four letters are used

 and the fourth letter is a vowel

•

then only the first three letters are used

Note The short form provides the fastest program execution.

Keyword Conventions

In keyword definitions and diagrams in this guide, the short form part of each keyword is emphasized in boldface UPPER-

CASE letters to help you remember it.

• TRlGger

• IMMediate

• RESistance

• SHORt

The HPSL parser (decoder) is not sensitive to case. It will accept Trig, trig, trigger, TRIGGER, triGgER, etc. Regardless of

which form you use, you must spell out all the letters. For example, RESI or TRI will not be recognized.