HP 8153A - Page 106

HP-IB Priority
The HP-IB interface has priority over other processes running on the
instrument.
In particular, if you are running a Record application over the HP-IB, you should
not poll the instrument continuously to detect the end of the application.
Instead, you should use interrupts. If this is possible, or make sure that there is
a delay between each poll of the instrument. A programming example, using
interrupts for a stability application, is included in chapter 6, see “Example 6”
in Chapter 10.
If the instrument is accessed over the HP-IB while you are editing a parameter,
the editing will be terminated. For example, if you are editing a system
parameter, an incoming HP-IB access terminates the editing, and blanks the
display; in this case you should press (locai) and then (Menu) to restore the display
and return the instrument to Measure mode. If the interrupting HP-IB command
is to zero the instrument, then the ZEROING message is lost when the display is
blanked.
TMSL
The HP 8153A uses commands according to the Test and Measurement Systems
Language (TMSL, also known as Standard Commands for Programmable
Instrumentation, SCPI). For an introduction to TMSL/SCPf, and TMSL/SCPI
programming techniques, refer to the following documents:
■ Hewlett-Packard Press (Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inci). A
Beginners Guide to SCPI. Barry Eppler. 1991.
■ The SCPI Consortium. Standard Commands for ProgramwxibU Instruments.
Published periodically by various publivShers. To obtain a copy of this manual,
contact your Hewlett-Packard representative.
A TMSL/SCPI command is a combination of command components. The
commands used by the HP 8163A are given in chapters 7, 8 and 9. These show
the possible command components, and the possible component combinations.
The first component in one of the command tables is called the root component.
Other components are added to make a command. The way the components are
added is called the command path. It is important to know the current path,
because the same component can be used in different paths.
5-6 Remote Operation