INITiate

Last Updated: August 29, 2007

These commands allow you to start and stop measurements.

For more information on the conventions used in the programming examples click here.

INITiate:<measurement mnemonic>[:ON]

This command initiates (starts) the specified measurements and measurement suites:

In the Output RF Spectrum measurement suite, you can specify which measurements within the suite to initiate using one or more of the following values separated by commas:

After you perform a full preset of the test set, switch applications, or restart the test set, you must either send this command or the SETup:ORFSpectrum:INITiate[?] command, with one or more parameters specifying the measurements you want the Output RF Spectrum measurement suite to perform. Otherwise, if you attempt to use this command without specifying any parameters, the following error message is reported:

“Operation rejection; Sub-measurements must be enabled using ‘SETup:ORFSpectrum:INITiate <args>’ or ‘INITiate:ORFSpectrum[:ON] <args>’ before ‘INITiate:ORFSpectrum[:ON] can be accepted.”

Specifying a value of NONE disables all measurements in the suite. If no parameters are specified, the current setting of the SETup:ORFSpectrum:INITiate[?] command is used to determine which sub-measurements are initiated.

In the Power and Modulation Quality measurement suite, you can specify which measurements within the suite to initiate using one or more of the following values separated by commas:

After you perform a full preset of the test set, switch applications, or restart the test set, you must either send this command or the SETup:PMODulation:INITiate[?] command, with one or more parameters specifying the measurements you want the Power and Modulation Quality measurement suite to perform. Otherwise, if you attempt to use this command without specifying any parameters, the following error message is reported:

“Operation rejection; Sub-measurements must be enabled using ‘SETup:PMODulation:INITiate <args>’ or ‘INITiate:PMODulation[:ON] <args>’ before ‘INITiate:PMODulation[:ON] can be accepted.”

Specifying a value of NONE disables all measurements in the suite. If no parameters are specified, the current setting of the SETup:PMODulation:INITiate[?] command is used to determine which sub-measurements are initiated.

In the RF Channel measurement suite, you can specify which measurements within the suite to initiate using one or more of the following values separated by commas:

After you perform a full preset of the test set, switch applications, or restart the test set, you must either send this command or the SETup:RFCHannel:INITiate[?] command, with one or more parameters specifying the measurements you want the RF Channel measurement suite to perform. Otherwise, if you attempt to use this command without specifying any parameters, the following error message is reported:

“Operation rejection; Sub-measurements must be enabled using ‘SETup:RFCHannel:INITiate <args>’ or ‘INITiate:RFCHannel[:ON] <args>’ before ‘INITiate:RFCHannel[:ON] can be accepted.”

Specifying a value of NONE disables all measurements in the suite. If no parameters are specified, the current setting of the SETup:RFCHannel:INITiate[?] command is used to determine which measurements are initiated.

The INITiate command is associated with the SETup and FETCh? commands, see SETup Subsystem and FETCh? Subsystem.

One or more measurements may be initiated on the same program line.

This command is also used to activate a measurement.

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Examples:

' Initiate a spectrum monitor measurement, and a channel power measurement within the RF Channel measurement suite.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:SMONitor;RFCHannel CPOW")

 

' Initiate the phase and frequency, and power versus time measurements

' within the Power and Modulation Quality measurement suite.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:PMODulation PFER,PVT")

INITiate:<measurement mnemonic>:OFF

This command deactivates the specified measurement or measurement suite.

Only one measurement can be deactivated at a time. To stop one or more measurements and leave them in the active state, see ABORt Commands.

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Deactivate the power and modulation quality measurement suite.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:PMODulation:OFF")

INITiate:COUNt?

Queries the number of measurements that have been initiated (that are active).

Note that some measurements are mutually exclusive, and so cannot be run at the same time as others.

Query Range: 0 to the total number of measurements in this application.

Resolution: 1

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Query the number of active measurements.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:COUNt?")

INITiate:DONE?

Queries which measurements, if any, are available or have timed out. If more than one measurement is available, a comma separated list of available measurements is returned.

Note that WAIT is returned when no measurements are done. NONE is returned when all measurements are done.

Query Range: NONE | DPOW | ORFS | PMOD | PAVT | RFCH | SMON | WAIT

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Query which measurements are available or have timed out.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:DONE?")

INITiate:DONE:CLEAR

Clears the done flag from all measurements. See INITiate:DONE?

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Clear the done flag from all measurements.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:DONE:CLEAR")

INITiate:DONE:FLAG[:ALL]

Specifies that all measurements are either included or excluded when the INITitate:DONE? query is sent.

If a measurement trigger arm is left in continuous mode, the done flag for that measurement will toggle between DONE and WAIT. The INITiate:DONE? query will probably not be able to catch the measurement at the instant it is done; therefore, the measurement will never appear to be done. If a measurement's triggering must be continuously armed, you should exclude the measurement using INITiate:DONE:FLAG:<measurement mnemonic>.

Use INITitate:DONE:FLAG:ALL EXCLude to exclude all measurements.

Once INITiate:DONE:FLAG has been set to EXCLude for a measurement, you must send the INCLude command for that measurement in order to query that measurement with the INITiate:DONE? query. The test set will not reset any excluded measurement with any type of preset.

Setting Range: INCLude | EXCLude

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Query which measurements are available or have timed out.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:DONE:FLAG")

INITiate:DONE:FLAG:<measurement mnemonic>

Sets whether or not the specified measurement's done flag is considered (using the INCLude or EXCLude settings) when the INITitate:DONE? query is sent:

If more than one measurement is active, and one or more measurement trigger arm states is continuous, the INITiate:DONE? query may not be effective. The best solution is to change the arm state of all measurements to single using the SETup:ALL:CONTinuous:OFF command. However, if a measurement must be continuously triggered, you should exclude the measurement using the EXCLude setting provided by this command if you want to use INITiate:DONE? to query measurement done status.

The test set will not reset any excluded measurement to included with any type of preset.

Setting Range: INCLude | EXCLude

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Exclude the dynamic power measurement from responding to the INITiate:DONE? query.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:DONE:FLAG:DPOW EXCLude")

INITiate:DPOWer:ARMed?

This hanging query returns a 1 when the dynamic power measurement sample is armed and ready to be triggered.

Query Range: 1

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.03 and above

Example:

' Query if the dynamic power measurement is armed.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:DPOWer:ARMed?")

INITiate:ON?

Queries the names of the measurements (none, one, or more than one) that are ON in a comma separated list of measurement mnemonics. No information for measurements within a measurement suite are returned with this query. See INITiate:<measurement mnemonic>[:ON].

Query Range: NONE | DPOW | ORFS | PMOD | PAVT | RFCH | SMON

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.01 and above

Example:

' Query what measurements are on.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:ON?")

INITiate:PAVTime:ARMed?

This hanging query returns a 1 when the power and amplitude versus time measurement sample is armed and ready to be triggered.

Query Range: 1

Test Set Requirements: E6601A WCTS Program Version A.03 and above

Example:

' Query if the power and amplitude versus time measurement is armed.

TestSet.WriteString("INITiate:PAVTime:ARMed?")