Specifications

Software Interface
The 89601A software appears to
other Windows® software as an
ActiveX® object. Implemented
according to the industry-standard
Component Object Model (COM), the
software exposes a rich object model
of properties, events, and methods,
as fully described in the 89601A
documentation.
Software development environments
that are capable of interacting with
COM objects include Agilent VEE,
Microsoft® Visual Basic®, Microsoft
Visual C++®, MATLAB®, National
Instruments® LabVIEW, and others.
In addition, many end-user applica-
tions are able to interact directly
with COM objects using built-in
macro languages such as Visual
Basic for Applications (VBA). For
example, in Microsoft Excel®, a VBA
macro could be used to set up the
instrument, collect the measurement
data, and automatically graph the
results.
Macro language
The 89601A’s built-in Visual Basic script interpreter allows many
types of measurement and analysis tasks to be easily automated.
Scripts may be developed using any text editor, or may be recorded
automatically from a sequence of menu selections. Completed
scripts may be named and integrated onto the analyzer’s toolbar,
allowing them to be launched with a single button press.
Remote displays
To operate the 89601A/N4010A combination or view its displays
from a remote location, the use of commercially-available remote
PC software such as Microsoft NetMeeting
®
or Symantec
pcAnywhere
®
is recommended.
Remote programming
Beginning with Microsoft Windows NT
®
4.0, COM objects on
one PC are accessible from software running on another PC.
This capability, known as Distributed COM (DCOM), makes
the 89600 object model fully programmable from any other
PC having network connectivity to the N4010A’s host PC.
File formats
For storage and recall of measured or captured waveforms,
spectra, and other measurement results:
ASCII Tab-delimited (.txt), comma-delimited (.csv)
Binary Agilent standard data format (.sdf, .cap, .dat)
Binary Agilent E3238 time snapshot (.cap) and time
recording (.cap) files under 2 Gsa in size.
No additional calibration.
MATLAB 5 MAT-file (.mat)
Source
In source mode the 89601A software can control a signal
generator via GPIB or LAN. Control is provided via the
VSA GUI. Frequency and level control of CW signals is
provided. Arbitrary signals may be downloaded from the
time capture memory to the signal generator for replay.
The same time record may be played over and over
contiguously. A window function can be applied to
smooth start-up and finish of replay.
Compatible sources ESG-D or ESG-DP (firmware version B.03.50 or
later), with the Option E44xxA-UND internal dual
arbitrary waveform generator (firmware version
1.2.92 or later). E4438C with internal baseband
generator Option E4438C-001 or E4438C-002.
E8267C vector signal generator with Option
E8267C-002 internal baseband generator.
Signal types CW (fixed frequency sinewave)
Arbitrary
Frequency range Determined by signal generator
Level range –136 to 20 dBm in 0.02 dBm steps
For all other specifications see the technical
data sheet for the signal generator used.
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