# Combining Commands

SCPI Basics

- Program Message Terminator
- Short or Long Forms
- White Space
- Combining Commands
- Adding Parameters to a Command
- String Arguments
- Numbers
- Infinity Representation
- Queries
- Endianness of Returned Binary Block Data
- NaN (Not A Number)
- Sequential and Overlapped Commands
- SCPI Tree

You can combine commands from the same subsystem provided that they are both on the same level in the subsystem's hierarchy. Simply separate the commands with a semi-colon (;). If you have selected a subsystem, and a common command is sent, the SCPI parser remains in the selected subsystem. For example, the following commands turn averaging on, then clears the status information without leaving the selected subsystem.

    :ACQuire:SMODe AVERage;*CLS;COUNt 1024

You can send commands and program queries from different subsystems on the same line. Simply precede the new subsystem by a semicolon followed by a colon. Multiple commands may be any combination of compound and simple commands. For example:

    :CHANnel2:DISPlay ON;:SYSTem:AUToscale