HP 54601 Manual

Programmer’s Guide

Publication number 54600-97017

July1996 (pdf version Nov 1998)

This guide contains programming information for the following

oscilloscope models:

HP 54600

HP 54601

HP 54602

HP 54603

HP 54610

HP 54615

HP 54616

For Safetyinformation, Warranties,and Regulatory

information, see the pages behind the Index.

©Copyright Hewlett-Packard Company 1995-1996

All RightsReserved

HP 54600-Series Oscilloscopes

Programming the Oscilloscope

When you attach an interface module to the rear of the HP 54600-

Series Oscilloscopes, the oscilloscope becomes programmable. That is,

you can hook a controller (such as a PC or workstation) to the

oscilloscope, and write programs on that controller to automate

oscilloscope setup and data capture. Both HP-IB (also known as

GP-IB, IEEE-488) and RS-232-C interfaces are available.

The following figure shows the basic structure of every program you

will write for the oscilloscope.

Initialize

To ensure consistent, repeatable performance, you need to start the

program, controller, and oscilloscope in a known state. Without

correct initialization, your program may run correctly in one instance

and not in another. This might be due to changes made in

configuration by previous program runs or from the front panel of the

oscilloscope.

•Program initialization defines and initializes variables, allocates

memory, or tests system configuration.

•Controller initialization ensures that the interface to the

oscilloscope (either HP-IB or RS-232) is properly setup and ready

for data transfer.

•Oscilloscope initialization sets the channel, trigger, timebase, and

acquisition subsystems for the desired measurement.

Capture

Once you initialize the oscilloscope, you can begin capturing data for

measurement. Remember that while the oscilloscope is responding to

commands from the controller, it is not performing acquisitions. Also,

when you change the oscilloscope configuration, any data already

captured is most likely invalid.

To collect data, you use the DIGITIZE command. This command

clears the waveform buffers and starts the acquisition process.

Acquisition continues until the criteria, such as number of averages,

completion criteria, and number of points is satisfied. Once the

criteria is satisfied, the acquisition process is stopped. The acquired

data is displayed by the oscilloscope, and the captured data can be

measured, stored in memory in the oscilloscope, or transferred to the

controller for further analysis. Any additional commands sent while

DIGITIZE is working are buffered until DIGITIZE is complete.

You could also start the oscilloscope running, then use a wait loop in

your program to ensure that the oscilloscope has completed at least

one acquisition before you make a measurement. This is not

recommended, because the needed length of the wait loop may vary,

causing your program to fail. DIGITIZE, on the other hand, ensures

that data capture is complete. Also, DIGITIZE, when complete, stops

the acquisition process, so that all measurements are on displayed

data, not a constantly changing data set.

Analyze

After the oscilloscope has completed an acquisition, you can find out

more about the data, either by using the oscilloscope measurements

or by transferring the data to the controller for manipulation by your

program. Built-in measurements include IEEE standard parametric

measurements (such as Vpp, frequency, pulse width) or the

positioning and reading of voltage and time markers.

Using the WAVEFORM commands, you can transfer the data to your

controller for special analysis, if desired.

iii

In This Book

The HP 54600-Series Oscilloscopes Programmer’s Guide is your

introduction to programming the HP 54600-Series Oscilloscopes using an

instrument controller. This book, with the online HP 54600-Series

Oscilloscopes Programmer’s Reference, provides a comprehensive

description of the oscilloscope’s programmatic interface. The Programmer’s

Reference is supplied as a Microsoft Windows Help file on a 3.5" diskette.

To program the HP 54600-Series Oscilloscope, you need an interface module,

such as the HP 54650A or 54651A. You also need an instrument controller

that supports either the IEEE-488 or RS-232-C interface standards, and a

programming language capable of communicating with these interfaces. You

can also use the HP 54655A/56A Test Automation Module and the

HP 54658A/59B Measurement/Storage Module.

Chapter 1 gives a general overview of oscilloscope programming.

Chapter 2 shows a simple program, explains its operation, and discusses

considerations for data types.

Chapter 3 discusses the general considerations for programming the

instrument over an HP-IB interface.

Chapter 4 discusses the general considerations for programming the

instrument over an RS-232-C interface.

Chapter 5 describes conventions used in representing syntax of commands

throughout this book and in the online HP 54600-Series Oscilloscopes

Programmer’s Reference, and gives an overview of the command set.

Chapter 6 discusses the oscilloscope status registers and how to use them in

your programs.

Chapter 7 tells how to install the HP 54600-Series Oscilloscopes

Programmer’s Reference online help file in Microsoft Windows, and explains

help file navigation.

Chapter 8 lists all the commands and queries available for programming the

oscilloscope.

For information on oscilloscope operation, see the HP 54600-Series

Oscilloscopes User and Service Guide. For information on interface

configuration, see the documentation for the oscilloscope and the interface

card used in your controller (for example, the HP 82341A interface for IBM

PC-compatible computers).

ProgrammingGetting Started

Programmingover HP-IB

Programmingover RS-232-C

Index

Programmingand

DocumentationConventions

Status Reporting

Installing and Using the

Programmer’s Reference

Programmer’s Quick Reference

Introduction to Programming

Contents

1 Introduction to Programming

Talking to the Instrument 1–3

Program Message Syntax 1–4

Combining Commands from the Same Subsystem 1–7

Duplicate Mnemonics 1–7

Query Command 1–8

Program Header Options 1–9

Program Data Syntax Rules 1–10

Program Message Terminator 1–12

Selecting Multiple Subsystems 1–12

2 Programming Getting Started

Initialization 2–3

Autoscale 2–4

Setting Up the Instrument 2–4

Example Program 2–5

Using the DIGitize Command 2–6

Receiving Information from the Instrument 2–8

String Variables 2–9

Numeric Variables 2–10

Definite-Length Block Response Data 2–11

Multiple Queries 2–12

Instrument Status 2–12

3 Programming over HP-IB

Interface Capabilities 3–3

Command and data concepts 3–3

Addressing 3–4

Communicating over the bus 3–5

Lockout 3–6

Bus Commands 3–6

4 Programming over RS-232-C

Interface Operation 4–3

Cables 4–3

Contents–1

Minimum three-wire interface with software protocol 4–4

Extended interface with hardware handshake 4–5

Configuring the Interface 4–7

Interface Capabilities 4–8

Communicating over the RS-232-C bus 4–9

Lockout Command 4–10

5 Programming and Documentation Conventions

Command Set Organization 5–3

The Command Tree 5–6

Truncation Rules 5–10

Infinity Representation 5–11

Sequential and Overlapped Commands 5–11

Response Generation 5–11

Notation Conventions and Definitions 5–12

Program Examples 5–13

6 Status Reporting

Serial Poll 6–6

7 Installing and Using the Programmer’s Reference

To install the help file under Microsoft Windows 7–3

To use the help text and example program files 7–4

To get updated help and program files via the Internet 7–5

To start the help file 7–6

To navigate through the help file 7–7

8 Programmer’s Quick Reference

Conventions 8–3

Suffix Multipliers 8–3

Commands and Queries 8–4

Index

Contents

Contents–2

Introduction to Programming

Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the basics for remote programming of an

oscilloscope. The programming instructions in this manual conform to

the IEEE 488.2 Standard Digital Interface for Programmable

Instrumentation. The programming instructions provide the means of

remote control.

To program the HP 54600-series oscilloscope you must add either an

HP-IB (for example, HP 54650A) or RS-232-C (for example,

HP 54651A) interface to the rear panel.

You can perform the following basic operations with a controller and

an oscilloscope:

•Set up the instrument.

•Make measurements.

•Get data (waveform, measurements, configuration) from the

oscilloscope.

•Send information (pixel image, configurations) to the oscilloscope.

Other tasks are accomplished by combining these basic functions.

Languages for Program Examples

The programming examplesfor individual commands in this manual are written

in HP BASIC, C, or SICL C.

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