AMETEK 2003RP User Manual
Page 86
Header Convention
In the command descriptions in chapter 10 of this manual, headers are emphasized with
boldface type. The proper short form is shown in upper-case letters, such as DELay.
Header Separator
If a command has more than one header, you must separate them with a colon
(SYSTem:ERRor LIMit:FREQuency:LOW).
Optional Headers
The use of some headers is optional. Optional headers are shown in brackets, such as
VOLTage[:LEVel] 100.
Query Indicator
Following a header with a question mark turns it into a query (VOLTage?, VRANGe?).
Message Unit Separator
When two or more message units are combined into a compound message, separate the
units with a semicolon (VOLT 100;FREQ 60).
Root Specifier
When it precedes the first header of a message unit, the colon becomes the root specifier. It
tells the command parser that this is the root or the top node of the command tree. Note the
difference between root specifiers and header separators in the following examples:
SOURce:VOLTage:LEVel 100
All colons are header separators
:SOURce:VOLTage:LEVel 100
Only the first colon is a root specifier
SOURce:VOLTage:LEVel 100;:FREQuency 55
Only the third colon is a root specifier
You do not have to precede root-level commands with a colon; there is an implied colon in
front of every root-level command.
Message Terminator
A terminator informs SCPI that it has reached the end of a message. The only permitted
message terminator is:
newline (
In the examples of this manual, there is an assumed message terminator at the end of each
message. If the terminator needs to be shown, it is indicated as
actual terminator character.