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2 programming overview, 1 scpi language introduction, 2 scpi status system – American Magnetics 4Q12125PS-430 High Stability Integrated Power Supply System User Manual

Page 118: Remote interface reference

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100

Rev. 5

Remote Interface Reference

SCPI Introduction

*ETE <

enable_value

>

*ETE?

*TRG

4.2 Programming Overview

The Model 430 Programmer conforms to the SCPI (Standard Commands

for Programmable Instruments) IEEE standard. The SCPI standard is an

ASCII-based specification designed to provide a consistent command

structure for instruments from various manufacturers.

The Model 430 Programmer also implements a status system for

monitoring the state of the Model 430 through the Standard Event and

Status Byte registers.

4.2.1

SCPI Language Introduction

SCPI commands conform to a tree structure where commands are grouped

according to common keywords. For example, commands which set a

Model 430 Programmer setup or operating parameter begin with the

keyword

CONFigure

. The keywords are shown in upper case and lower

case to indicate acceptable abbreviations. For the example keyword

CONFigure

, the user may send either the abbreviated form of

CONF

, or the

entire keyword

CONFIGURE

. Any other form of the keyword is illegal and

will generate an error.

Many commands also require multiple keywords to traverse the tree

structure of the entire Model 430 Programmer command set. For example,

commands associated with a current setting require the prefix of

CONFigure:CURRent

. Note that a colon (

:

) separates the keywords. No

spaces are allowed before or after the colon. Parameters must be separated

from the command keyword(s) by at least one space.

4.2.2

SCPI Status System

The Model 430 Programmer status system reports various conditions of

the instrument in two registers groups shown in Figure 4-1. The register

groups consist of a condition or event register, and an enable register

which controls the actions of specific bits within the condition or event

registers

A condition register continuously monitors the state of the instrument.

The bits of a condition register are updated in real time. A condition

register is read-only and is not cleared when you read the register. A query

of a condition register returns a decimal value in the appropriate output

buffer which corresponds to the binary-weighted sum of all bits set in the

register.