Specifications

5-6
System Command Reference Section
Pattern Configuration
An arbitrary block program data element is a method of sending large quantities of data
from a controller to an instrument. It comes in two forms; an indefinite length format
when the length of the transmission is not known, and a definite length format when the
length is known. In the application here, the definite length format is used.
A definite length arbitrary block program data element is composed of two parts; a header
and the data itself. The header is made up from three parts:
1. The first part is the ASCII character #.
2. The second part is a single non-zero ASCII digit. The magnitude of this digit equals the
number of digits in the third part of the header.
3. The third part is composed of between 1 and 9 ASCII digits. The value of these digits
taken together as a decimal integer equal the number of 8-bit data bytes which follow.
The data part is composed of a number of 8-bit data bytes.
As an example, if a user-pattern of length 7986 bits is to be set up, then the header would
be #47986.
The *RST command leaves this selection unchanged.
[SOURce[1]:]PATTern:UPATtern<n>:IDATa [A|B,] <start_bit>,
<length_in_bits>,<block_data>
This command is similar to the :DATA command. The header is short for Incremental
Data and the command is used to download just part of a user-defined pattern.
If “SOURce1:PATT:UPAT<n>:USE APATtern” is selected, then the first parameter
indicates which half pattern is to receive the data. If “SOURce1:PATT:UPAT<n>USE
STRaight” is selected, either “A” or no first parameter are acceptable.
The length of the <block data> embedded in the header refers always to the length of the
data in bytes.
The first parameter defines the starting position within the overall pattern of the first bit of
the transmitted pattern. The first bit is counted as bit zero. The second parameter defines
how many bits are to be transmitted and the third parameter provides the data itself.
The query form of the command is of the format “:IDATa? <start bit>,<length in bits>”.
The second parameter defines the length (in bits) of the data block to be output.
[SOURce[1]:]PATTern:UPATtern<n>:LMODified? <string>
This query only command returns the date and time a user pattern was last modified.