Channels, Windows, and Measurements using SCPI

This VBScript program does the following:

Presets the analyzer, deleting the default trace
Create 2 windows
Create 2 Measurements
Feed the measurements to windows / traces
Change frequency ranges for channels
Select both measurements
Turn marker 1 ON for each measurement

The following notes explain the basic structure of the SCPI tree on the analyzer:

SOURce: and most SENSe: commands act on the channel that is specified in the command. Channel 1 is default if not specified.
Most DISPlay: commands act on the window and trace specified in the command. Window1 and Trace1 are default if not specified.
CALCulate: commands act on the selected measurement in the specified channel. Select the measurement for each channel using
CALCulate<channel number>:PARameter:SELect <meas name>. You can select one measurement in each channel.

See Traces, Channels, and Windows on the Analyzer

How to run this program:

The SCPI commands in this example are sent over a COM interface using the SCPIStringParser object. You do NOT need a GPIB connection to run this example.

This VBScript (*.vbs) program can be run as a macro in the analyzer. To do this, copy the following code into a text editor file such as Notepad and save it on the analyzer hard drive as NewMeas.vbs. Learn how to setup and run the macro.

See Other SCPI Example Programs

Dim app

Dim scpi

' Create / Get the VNA application.

Set app = CreateObject("AgilentPNA835x.Application")

Set scpi = app.ScpiStringParser

'Preset the analyzer

'This command also deletes the default trace

scpi.execute "SYSTem:FPReset"

'Create Measurements

scpi.execute "CALCulate1:PARameter:DEFine:EXT 'Meas1','S11'"

scpi.execute "CALCulate2:PARameter:DEFine:EXT 'Meas2','S21'"

' Turn on windows - creates if new

scpi.execute "DISPlay:WINDow1:STATE ON"

scpi.execute "DISPlay:WINDow2:STATE ON"

'Associate ("FEED") the measurement name('Meas1') to WINDow(1), and give the new TRACe a number(1).

scpi.execute "DISPlay:WINDow1:TRACe1:FEED 'Meas1'"

scpi.execute "DISPlay:WINDow2:TRACe2:FEED 'Meas2'"

'Change each channel's frequency range

scpi.execute "SENSe1:FREQuency:SPAN 1e9"

scpi.execute "SENSe2:FREQuency:SPAN 2e9"

'Select both measurements

scpi.execute "CALCulate1:PARameter:SELect 'Meas1'"

scpi.execute "CALCulate2:PARameter:SELect 'Meas2'"

'Turn marker 1 ON for each measurement

scpi.execute "CALCulate1:MARKer:STATe ON"

scpi.execute "CALCulate2:MARKer:STATE ON"

GPIB.Write "SYSTem:PReset"

'Create two windows
GPIB.Write ":DISPlay:SPLit 2"

'Create one trace on each window
GPIB.Write ":CALCulate1:PARameter:COUNt 1"
GPIB.Write ":CALCulate2:PARameter:COUNt 1"

'Define the parameter for each trace
GPIB.Write ":CALCulate1:MEASure1:PARameter 'S21'"
GPIB.Write ":CALCulate2:MEASure2:PARameter 'S12'"

'Change each channel's frequency range
GPIB.Write "SENSe1:FREQuency:SPAN 1e9"
GPIB.Write "SENSe2:FREQuency:SPAN 2e9"

'Turn marker 1 ON for each measurement
GPIB.Write "CALCulate1:MEASure1:MARKer:STATe ON"
GPIB.Write "CALCulate2:MEASure2:MARKer:STATe ON"