Specifications

FORMat Subsystem ZVx
1043.0009.50 3.52 E-15
3.6.6 FORMat Subsystem
The FORMat subsystem specifies the format of the data transmitted from and to the analyzer.
COMMAND PARAMETER UNIT COMMENT
FORMat
[:DATA]
:DEXPort
:FORMat
:MODe
:DSEParator
:SOURce
ASCii|REAL[,<numeric_value>]
ASCii | TOUChstone | SCOMpact
COMPlex | MLPHase | MDPHase
NEW | APPend
POINt | COMMa
CDATa | CVData | TDATa | FDATa |
MDATa | DDATa
FORMat[:DATA]
This command defines the data format for transmission from and to the analyzer.
Syntax:
FORMat[:DATA] ASCII | REAL [,<numeric_value>]
Example:
"FORM REAL,32"
"FORM REAL,64"
"FORM ASC "
Characteristics:
*RST value:
SCPI:
ASCII
conforming
Either the ASCII or REAL data format can be selected. ASCII data are transmitted in plain text with
commas used as separators. REAL data are transmitted as 32- or 64-bit IEEE 754 floating-point
numbers using definite length blocks.
Results are transmitted as S-parameters or ratios of wave quantities in real and imaginary part
representation. For a sweep with 401 test points, therefore, 802 values are transmitted separated by
commas.
If the format ”FORM REAL, 32” is selected for the above example, the data stream from the analyzer to
the controller is as follows:
#432085334.....
||| ||
|||..|From here follow the data bytes of the data block, here 5334
||Number of bytes of data block stated in ASCII plain text, here 3208
|ASCII byte stating the length of the subsequent length counter, here 4
Head marker of binary data stream
For this example, the number of transmitted data bytes is as follows:
Number = number of test points * bytes/value * 2
3208 = 401 * 4 * 2
The factor of two takes into account that the result is represented as a complex variable.