114 Chapter 3
Programming the Status Register System
Overview
Overview
During remote operation, you may need to monitor the status of the signal generator for error conditions or
status changes. The signal generator’s error queue can be read with the SCPI query :SYSTem:ERRor?
(Refer to “:ERRor[:NEXT]” in the SCPI command reference guide) to see if any errors have occurred. An
alternative method uses the signal generator’s status register system to monitor error conditions and/or
condition changes.
The signal generator’s status register system provides two major advantages:
• You can monitor the settling of the signal generator using the settling bit of the Standard Operation
Status Group’s condition register.
• You can use the service request (SRQ) interrupt technique to avoid status polling, therefore giving a
speed advantage.
The signal generator’s instrument status system provides complete SCPI standard data structures for
reporting instrument status using the register model.
The SCPI register model of the status system has multiple registers that are arranged in a hierarchical order.
The lower-level status registers propagate data to the higher-level registers using summary bits. The Status
Byte Register is at the top of the hierarchy and contains the status information for lower level registers.
The lower level status registers monitor specific events or conditions, and are grouped according to their
functionality. For example, the Data Questionable Frequency Status Group consists of five registers. This
chapter may refer to a group as a register so that the cumbersome correct description is avoided. For
example, the Standard Operation Status Group’s Condition Register can be referred to as the Standard
Operation Status register. Refer to “Status Groups” on page 126 for more information.
Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2 show the signal generator’s status byte register system and hierarchy.
The status register system uses IEEE 488.2 commands (those beginning with *) to access the higher-level
summary registers. Lower-level registers can be accessed using STATus SCPI commands.
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