Filter
Top Products
Syntax and Commands
6
PS2520G and PS2521G Programmer Manual
Different product manuals may also use the terms “program
messages” or simply “commands” to refer to commands and queries
as a whole. This manual uses the term “commands” to mean any
type of instruction from the controller to the programmable
instrument.
Command Syntax
Any instruction that you send to an instrument that complies with
SCPI must have at least three basic elements:
H Command header
H Parameter (if required)
H Message terminator or separator
Command Header
The command header has a hierarchical structure that can be
represented by a command tree (Figure 3). A mnemonic designates
each level of the hierarchy. A colon separates the levels.
The top level of the tree is the root level. A root node is a mnemonic
at the root level. A root node and one or more lower-level nodes
form a header path to the last node called the leaf node.
:SOURce
:CURRent :LIST
:LEVel :PROTection
:STATe?
:STATe
Lower-level
nodes
Root node
Leaf node
:VOLTage
Figure 3: Tree Hierarchy