User`s guide

8 – Language Dictionary
96
Format Commands
FORMat
This command selects the data type and the type length for all array queries. Supported types are ASCII
and REAL. When ASCII is selected, the response format for these queries is NR3 Numeric Response
Data. This format is selected at *RST. The only valid argument for <length> is 0, which means that the
dc source selects the number of significant digits to be returned.
When REAL is selected, the array response format is Definite Length Arbitrary Block Response Data.
The data within the Arbitrary Block is coded as IEEE single precision floating point, with 4 bytes per
value. The second argument to the FORMat:DATA command specifies the number of bits in the
returned data. Only the value 32 is permitted in dc source instruments. The byte order within a single
value is determined by the FORMat:BORDer command. Definite Length Arbitrary Block Response Data
format begins with a header that describes the number of data bytes in the response. The header begins
with a pound sign, followed by a single non-zero digit that defines the number of digits in the block
length, followed by the digits contained in the block.
For example: The response to the query "MEAS:ARR:CURR:[DC]? 1" which returns 45 numeric values
would be as follows:
'#' '3' '1' '8' '0' <byte1> <byte2> ... <byte180> <newline>
Command Syntax
FORMat[:DATA] <CRD> [,length]
Parameters
ASCii | REAL
*RST Value
ASCii
Examples
FORM REAL
Query Syntax
FORMat?
Returned Parameters
<CRD>
Related Commands
FORM:BORD MEAS:ARR:CURR:DC?
MEAS:ARR:VOLT:DC?
FORMat:BORDer
This command selects whether the binary data is transferred in normal or swapped byte order. When
NORMal is selected, the first byte sent is the sign bit and seven most significant bits of the exponent, and
the last byte sent is the least significant byte of the mantissa. This ordering is generally used in big-
endian controllers such as those that use Motorola processors.
When SWAPped is selected, the least significant byte of the mantissa is sent first and the sign bit and
seven most significant bits of the exponent are sent last. This ordering is generally used in little-endian
controllers such as those that use Intel processors.
Command Syntax
FORMat:BORDer <CRD>
Parameters
NORMal | SWAPped
*RST Value
NORMal
Examples
FORM:BORD SWAP
Query Syntax
FORMat:BORDer?
Returned Parameters
<CRD>
Related Commands
FORM[:DATA] MEAS:ARR:CURR:DC?
MEAS:ARR:VOLT:DC