# :WAVeform Subsystem

Subsystem Command Groups

- :WAVeform Subsystem
- :WAVeform General Commands
- :WAVeform CGRade Commands
- :WAVeform XY-Format Commands
- :WAVeform Y-Format Commands

Use the Waveform subsystem commands to transfer waveform data from Infiniium 2026 on an oscilloscope directly to the computer. Otherwise you could use the `:DISK` subsystem commands to save the data as a file on the oscilloscope and then use your programming language to transfer the file from the oscilloscope to the computer.

Waveform data includes single-valued waveform data and color grade/gray scale data from Infiniium to the computer. To transfer histogram data, use the commands in the `:HISTogram Subsystem` subsystem. Channel, function, waveform, and color grade/gray scale memory can all be selected for return using the `:WAVeform:SOURce` command. All other subsystem commands are queries that return either data or parameters that are needed to interpret the data.

Returning waveform data from Infiniium requires that you perform the following tasks:

1. Place Infiniium in stop or single data acquisition mode using the `:ACQuire:STOP` and `:ACQuire:SINGle` commands. If Infiniium is in the run mode, multiple data acquisition cycles may occur between queries resulting in waveform parameters that do not match the data. For example, it is likely that the first point in the data will have a different time than that of the returned X origin.
2. Select the data source using the `:WAVeform:SOURce` command.
3. Use the `:WAVeform:STATus?` and `:WAVeform:STATus:REASon?` queries to determine if the waveform has valid data before you transfer the data.
4. Return the data using one of the formats listed in the navigation tabs that are at the top of this topic.
5. Return the waveform parameters needed to interpret the data. This includes, for example, the number of points in the waveform (record length), the time at the x-axis origin, and the time increment between data points.