User`s manual

are third-level keywords, and so on. A colon (:) always separates a
command keyword from a lower-level keyword as shown below.
ARM:LAY2:SOUR EXT
A semicolon (;) is used to separate two commands within the same subsystem,
and can also save typing. For example, sending this command message:
ARM:LAY2:SOUR EXT;SLOP POS;COUN 10
Is the same as sending these three commands:
ARM:LAY2:SOUR EXT
ARM:LAY2:SLOP POS
ARM:LAY2:COUN 10
Manual Format The typical format of commands listed in the command reference and
throughout this manual is:
[SOURce:]FREQuency[1]:MODE <mode>
Command headers enclosed in square brackets ([ ]) are optional. Upper-case
letters in the header are required, lower-case letters can be omitted.
Note The brackets are not part of the command and are not sent to the
instrument.
To aid in learning the AFG command set, all headers are included in the
example programs; however, the headers are abbreviated. In an example
program, the previous statement with a
<mode> parameter of FIX would appear
as:
SOUR:FREQ1:MODE FIX
Command Coupling Many of the AFG SCPI commands are value coupled. This means that the
value set by one command may affect the valid limits for the values of other
commands. This can result in "Settings Conflict" errors when the program
executes. To prevent these errors, the AFG commands must be executed in
"Coupling Groups". The coupling groups are frequency and voltage. Some
commands (like
[SOURce:]FUNCtion[:SHAPe]) are associated with both
groups. These commands are a bridge, linking (coupling) the two groups.
Commands not in a coupling group must precede or follow commands in
the coupling groups. Executing uncoupled commands in a coupling group
breaks the coupling and can cause a "Settings Conflict" error.
The coupling groups and associated commands can be found in Table B-2 in
Appendix B.
Chapter 1 Getting Started 27