8
Overview of commands
The M-400 and the control computer communicate via commands.
There are several types of commands, and you can control the M-400 by using the command that’s
appropriate for your purpose.
Single-byte alphanumeric characters are used for commands.
In general, the command syntax is an ASCII string consisting of “
stx
” and “three uppercase letters” followed
by a “
;
” (semicolon).
The three letters indicate the type of command. However, there are other types depending on the command.
(Refer to
"Command syntax"
(p. 9))
*“
stx
”: This is the name of the signal in ASCII code (code number
02H
in hexadecimal); it is a control code that indicates
the beginning of a command.
*“
;
”: This code lets the M-400 detect the end of the command.
<Ex.> To transmit the
**
command, transmit the ASCII string “
stx**;
”
Depending on the command, there are two types of communication protocols between the control computer
and the M-400.
1.
When specifying an operation or setting for the M-400
This type corresponds to the
"Control commands"
(p. 11).
These commands use the procedure shown in the following diagram.
fig.PrtConcept1.eps
a. Transmit the command from the computer to the M-400.
b. The M-400 will output “
ack
” if the command was received correctly, or an ERR command in case of
invalid reception.
*"
ack
": This is the ASCII code name of the control code (
06H
in hexadecimal) acknowledging successful reception.
* Invalid reception corresponds to cases in which the syntax of the received command was incorrect.
*
stxERR
is the command used to transmit or receive an error indication.
Overview of commands
Protocol
COMPUTER M-400
a. stx + command
b. ack or stxERR command
To Next Page
Loading...
