It is critical to understand the meaning of the following terms as they are used on the analyzer.
Traces are a series of measured data points. There is no theoretical limit to the number of traces. However, the practical limit is the maximum number of windows times the maximum number of traces per window (100).
In addition, the following two kinds of memory traces are available. Learn more about Math / Memory traces.
One memory trace in the same measurement (same trace number)
Memory data trace in the different measurement (different trance number)
Trace settings affect the presentation and mathematical operations of the measured data.
The following are Trace settings:
Time Domain (Opt S93010A/B/010)
How to display a custom trace title (separate topic)
How to display a wide active trace (separate topic)
How to Add a traceThe only measurements that can be selected are those in the same measurement class as is currently assigned to the channel. To select a measurement other than these, first select the appropriate measurement class to a new or existing channel. Learn how. A trace must be selected (active) before its trace settings can be changed. |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
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How to Select a TraceThe only measurements that can be selected are those in the same measurement class as is currently assigned to the channel. To select a measurement other than these, first select the appropriate measurement class to a new or existing channel. Learn how. A trace must be selected (active) before its trace settings can be changed. |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
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How to Delete a Trace |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
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How to Move a trace to a different WindowYou can DRAG a trace from one window to another, or... |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
For some models
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For some models,
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Trace Manager allows the user to see and modify all traces/channels/windows/sheets/formats in one table. The changes are updated immediately. There is one row for each trace. By Clicking on a column heading will display the rows in ascending or descending order as defined by that column. A row is selected by clicking on any cell in the row and the popup menu for the cell will appear. Multiple rows can be selected by click-drag-release. All selected rows will be highlighted and popup menu for the column will appear. Undo Reverse back to the previous settings Redo Change the settings again.
Trace ColumnUser is not able to edit trace numbers. User may select multiple rows; this allows user to delete multiple traces using the popup menu. There is a special case where the trace entry in the row is empty. This is used to show when there is an empty window. If the users select this row and choose "Delete Trace", it will delete the empty window; this is a convenient feature; it is deleting a null trace. New Trace To add a new trace. Selecting the cell will open the "Meas" dialog. Delete Trace The selected trace will be deleted. Table Columns A pop up dialog is opened which allows user to define the columns visible in the table. The default table column is: Meas/Class/Channel/Windows/Sheet.
Meas ColumnSelecting the cell will open the "Meas" dialog. User cannot select multiple rows from a Meas cell.
Class ColumnSelecting the cell will open the "Measurement Class" dialog. User cannot select multiple rows from a Class cell. When the measurement class is changed, all traces numbers on the currently active channel will be assigned to the new measurement class. The window and sheet settings will be the same, but the "Meas" setting will be changed to default values for the selected class. Channel ColumnSelecting the cell will open a pulldown, and will select the row. User can click and drag to select multiple rows. User may use the pulldown to reassign the active trace to another channel and delete the active channel. When the channel for a trace is changed, the "Meas" setting will likely be changed.
Window ColumnSelecting the cell will open a pulldown, and will select the row. User can click and drag to select multiple rows. Changing the layout of the windows will reset window titles. User may use the pulldown to reassign the active trace to another window, delete the active window and all traces on that window and change the layout of the windows. If the active row has no trace assigned, then the window pulldown will not allow user to change the window number.
Sheet ColumnSelecting the cell will open a pulldown, and will select the row. User can click and drag to select multiple rows. User may use the pulldown to reassign the active trace to another sheet, delete the active sheet and all traces on that sheet and change the layout of the sheets. If the active row has no trace assigned, then the sheet pulldown will not allow user to change the sheet number. Format ColumnSelecting the cell will open a pulldown, and will select the row. User may use the pulldown to select the trace formats. When the measurement class is SA, the selectable formats are only LinM and LogM.
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Note: Only ONE trace can be moved at a time.
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How to maximize the active trace - the active trace is the ONLY trace on the screen display. All other traces are hidden. |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
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How to hold the active trace at the maximum or minimum points. |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey
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Using a mouse Not available |
Maximum/Minimum trace hold can be applied with several conditions:
Feature is applicable to any data trace, but NOT to memory traces.
When the stimulus or any data post processing setting is changed, the trace hold data will be reset. These settings include:
Smoothing on/off.
Smoothing Aperture.
Gating on/off.
Transform on/off.
Conversion state change, conversion type change.
Data Math Function (Data/Mem) change.
Equation Editor state change, formula change.
Parameter change.
Formatting change.
Minimum/maximum comparison is done with formatted data. For Smith and Polar formats, absolute data is used and not phase.
Trace hold data can be recalled.
Data save files formats
SnP does NOT save trace hold data
Citifile, CSV, MDF, PRN DOES save trace hold data
Note: Citifiles can be recalled and viewed in the VNA.
Use SCPI commands to get trace hold data. If trace hold is active, then the data returned from the remote interfaces will be the trace hold data.
Channels contain traces. The analyzer can have up to maximum 500 independent channels.
Note: Actual maximum number of channel depends on the setup. A large number of NOPs and traces limit the maximum number of channel.
Channel settings determine how the trace data is measured . All traces that are assigned to a channel share the same channel settings. A channel must be selected (active) to modify its settings. To select a channel, click the Trace Status button of a Trace in that channel. The following are channel settings:
Trigger (some settings are global)
How to Select a ChannelA channel must be selected (active) before its settings can be changed. To make a channel active, select a trace in that channel or click the Trace Status button of a Trace in that channel. |
Windows are used for viewing traces.
The analyzer can show between 1 and 500 windows on the screen with the following limitations:
The COM property MaximumNumberOfWindows returns 500.
The SCPI status register can track the status of up to 576 traces.
Each window can contain up to 100 traces.
Windows are completely independent of channels.
See Customize the analyzer screen to learn how to make other window settings.
The following is a window containing two traces. Both traces use the same channel 1 settings as indicated by the annotation at the bottom of the window.
The window number shows in the lower-left corner of the window. The following shows window 5.
Note: Only ONE window can be moved at a time.
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Sheets are used to group VNA windows. The sheet tabs provide an easy way to switch multiple display settings quickly.
Features and actions that can performed with tabbed sheets:
Add/Delete/Select sheet
Move window to sheet
Measurement can be performed on traces/channels in inactive sheets
Easy setup for channel per window
Easy setup for channel per sheet
How to Delete a Sheet |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
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How to View a Sheet |
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Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
Using a mouse |
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How to Change Sheet Title |
Using Hardkey/SoftTab/Softkey |
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