Specifications

1-8
Remote Operation
Using GP-IB
NOTE The semi-colon symbol is the command separator and must be
included. The command string must be enclosed in inverted commas
Using an HP 300 Series Controller with its GP-IB interface set at select code 7 and a
device at address 18, a typical command line to reset the instrument would appear as
follows:
OUTPUT 718;“*RST”
Using Non-HP Controllers
With non-HP controllers it may be necessary to send a suitable command terminator after
the data message, the terminator can be:
• ASCII newline (identical to the line feed character, LF).
• ASCII carriage return + 1 line feed, i.e. CR/LF.
In most HP controllers the CR/LF is sent automatically when HP Basic OUTPUT
statements are used.
Invalid Commands
A command will be rejected if:
• It contains a syntax error.
• It cannot be identified.
• It has too few or too many parameters.
• A parameter is out of range.
• It is out of context.
Reading Data
It is possible to interrogate the individual settings and status of a device using query
commands. Retrieving data is a two stage operation.
The query command is sent from the controller using the OUTPUT statement and the data
is read from the device using the ENTER statement. A typical example, using the SCPI
IEEE 488.2 Common Command “*IDN?” querying the identity of a device, is given as
follows:
OUTPUT 718;“*IDN?”
ENTER 718;Identity$
PRINT Identity $
Typically this would display the identity string:
“AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES,70843C,GB00000123,C.01.01”.