This section describes the notational conventions used for the description of commands reference.
Command/Query
Command
Query
The part with heading “Syntax” describes the syntax used to send a command from the external controller to the E4991B. A syntax consists of a command part and a parameter part. The separator between these parts is a space.
If there are several parameters, the separator between adjacent parameters is a comma (,). Ellipsis (…) between commas indicates that parameters in that part are omitted. For example, <numeric 1>,…,<numeric 4> indicates that 4 parameters, <numeric 1>,<numeric 2>, <numeric 3>,<numeric 4>, are required.
String-type parameters, <string>, <string 1>, and so on, must be enclosed in double quotation marks ("). <block> shows block format data.
You can omit the lowercase letters in syntax. For example, ":CALibration:CABLe" can be shortened as ":CAL:CABL."
The definition of symbols used in the syntax is as follows:
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<> |
Characters enclosed in this pair of symbols are necessary parameters when sending the command. |
|
[] |
Part enclosed in this parenthesis pair can be omitted. |
|
{} |
Part enclosed in this parenthesis pair indicates that you must select one of the items in this part. Individual items are separated by a vertical bar (|). |
For example, ":CALC:CORR:EDEL:TIME 0.1" ,":CALCULATE1:SELECTED:CORR:EDEL:TIME 25E-3," and so on are valid for the syntax given below.
:CALCulate<ch>[:SELected]:CORRection:EDELay:TIME <numeric>
Part with heading “Description” describes how to use the command or the operation when executed.
Part with heading “Variable” describes necessary parameters when sending the command. When a parameter is a value type or a string type enclosed with <>, its description, allowable setup range, preset (factory-set) value, and so on are given; when a parameter is a selection type enclosed with {}, the description of each selection item is
Part with heading “Query response” describes the data format read out when query (reading out data) is available with the command.
Each readout parameter is enclosed with {}. If there are several items within {} separated by the pipe (|), only one of them is read out.
When several parameters are read out, they are separated with a comma (,). Note that, 3 points (…) between commas indicate that the data of that part is omitted. For example, {numeric 1},…,{numeric 4} indicates that 4 data items, {numeric 1}, {numeric 2}, {numeric 3}, and {numeric 4}, are read out.
<newline><^END> after the parameters is the program message terminator.
Examples provide a sample coding with VISA-COM.
As per most programming practice, its up to the user to define any variable name for the instrument. Once defined, the variable is used throughout the program. In the examples provides, several variable names are used, as below:
Ana
Analyzer
Related command provides information about other command that are similar/related with the command.
Equivalent key shows the operational procedure of the front panel keys that has the same effect as this command.
COM command syntax shows the command to execute using COM such as internal VB script or Visual Basic/Excel VBA which is installed in the E4991B.