Agilent X-Series Signal Generators SCPI Command Reference 3
SCPI Basics
SCPI Basics
SCPI Basics
This section describes the general use of the SCPI language forAgilent X- Series signal generators. It is
not intended to teach you everything about the SCPI language; the SCPI Consortium or IEEE can
provide that level of detailed information. For a list of the specific commands available for the signal
generator, refer to the table of contents.
For additional information, refer to the following publications:
• IEEE Standard 488.1- 2003, IEEE Standard For Higher Performance Protocol for the Standard
Digital Interface for Programmable Instrumentation. New York, NY, 2003.
• IEEE Standard 488.2- 1992, IEEE Standard Codes, Formats, Protocols and Command Commands
for Use with ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.1- 1987. New York, NY, 1998.
Common Terms
The following terms are used throughout the remainder of this section:
Command A command is an instruction in SCPI consisting of mnemonics (keywords),
parameters (arguments), and punctuation. You combine commands to form
messages that control instruments.
Controller A controller is any device used to control the signal generator, for example a
computer or another instrument.
Event Command Some commands are events and cannot be queried. An event has no
corresponding setting; it initiates an action at a particular time.
Program Message A program message is a combination of one or more properly formatted
commands. Program messages are sent by the controller to the signal generator.
Query A query is a special type of command used to instruct the signal generator to
make response data available to the controller. A query ends with a question
mark. Generally you can query any command value that you set.
Response Message A response message is a collection of data in specific SCPI formats sent from the
signal generator to the controller. Response messages tell the controller about the
internal state of the signal generator.
Command Syntax
A typical command is made up of keywords prefixed with colons (:). The keywords are followed by
parameters. The following is an example syntax statement:
[:SOURce]:PULM:INTernal:FREQuency <frequency>|MAXimum|MINimum|UP|DOWN
In the example above, the :INTernal:FREQuency portion of the command immediately follows the
:PULM portion with no separating space. The portion following the :INTernal,
<frequency>|MAXimum|MINimum|UP|DOWN, are the parameters (argument for the command
statement). There is a separating space (white space) between the command and its parameter.
Additional conventions in syntax statements are shown in Table 1- 1 and Table 1- 2.
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