User Manual
Command Syntax
Figure 2-1: Command message elements
Commands
Commands cause the oscilloscope to perform a specific function or change one of
its settings. Commands have the structure:
[:]<Header>[<Space><Argument>[<Comma><Argument>]...]
A command header is made up of one or more mnemonics arranged in a
hierarchical or tree structure. The first mnemonic is the base or root of the tree
and each subsequent mnemonic is a level or branch off of the previous one.
Commands at a higher level in the tree may affect those at a lower level. The
leading colon (:) always returns you to the base o f the command tree.
Queries
Queries cause the oscilloscope to return information about its status or settings.
Queries have the structure:
[:]<Header>
[:]<Header>[<Space><Argument>[<Comma><Argument>]...]
You can specify a query command at any level within the command tree unless
otherwise noted. These branch queries return information about all the mnemonics
below the specified branch or level.
For e xample, MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:UNIts? returns the measurement
units, while MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:TYPe? returns the measurement type
selected for the measurement, and MEASUrement:MEAS<x>? re t urns all the
measurement parameters for the specified measurement.
Headers in Query
Responses
You can control whether the oscilloscope returns headers as part of the query
response. U se the HEADer command to control this feature. If header is on, the
oscilloscope returns command headers as part of the query and formats the query
response as a valid set command. When header is off, the oscilloscope sends
back only the values in the response. This format can make it easier to parse and
extract the information from the response.
Table 2-4: Comparison of Header Off and Header On responses
Query Header Off response Header On response
ACQuire:NUMAVg
64
ACQUIRE:NUMAVG 64
CHx1:COUPling DC CH1:COUPLING DC
TDS200, TDS1000/2000, TDS1000B/2000B, TDS2000C, TPS2000 Programmer 2-3