Additional Basics on Remote Control
R&S
®
NGA100
113
User Manual 5601.8919.02 ─ 03
Annex
A
Additional Basics on Remote Control
A.1
Messages and Command Structure
A.1.1
Messages
Instrument messages are employed in the same way for all interfaces, if not indicated
otherwise in the description.
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Structure and syntax of the instrument messages:
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Detailed description of all messages:
Chapter 7, "Remote Control Commands"
There are different types of instrument messages:
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Commands
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Instrument responses
Commands
Commands (program messages) are messages which the controller sends to the
instrument. They operate the instrument functions and request information. The com-
mands are subdivided according to two criteria:
Effects on the instrument:
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Setting commands cause instrument settings such as a reset of the instrument or
setting the output voltage.
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Queries return data for remote control, e.g. for identification of the instrument or
polling a parameter value. Queries are formed by appending a question mark to
the command header.
Applied standards:
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The function and syntax of the common commands are precisely defined in stan-
dard IEEE 488.2. If implemented, they are used identically on all instruments. They
refer to functions such as management of the standardized status registers, reset
and self-test.
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Instrument control commands refer to functions depending on the features of the
instrument such as voltage settings. Many of these commands have also been
standardized by the SCPI committee. These commands are marked as "SCPI
compliant" in the command reference chapters. Commands without this SCPI label
Messages and Command Structure
