HP 8648 A/B/C/D - Changpuak.ch

HP-IB Programming
Background
This signal generator adheres to the IEEE 488.1-1987,
IEEE 488.2-1987, and SCPI Version 1992.0 command language.
In 1987, the IEEE released IEEE 488.2-1987, Codes, Formats,
Protocols and Common Commands for Use with IEEE 488.1-1987.
This standard defined the roles of instruments and controllers in a
measurement system and a structured scheme for communication.
In particular, IEEE 488.2 described how to send commands to
instruments and how to send responses to controllers. It defined
some frequently used housekeeping commands explicitly, but each
instrument manufacturer was left with the task of naming any other
types of commands and defining their effect. IEEE 488.2 specified
how certain types of features should be implemented if they were
included in an instrument. It generally did not specify which features
or commands should be implemented for a particular instrument.
Thus, it was possible that two similar instruments could each conform
to IEEE 488.2, yet they could have an entirely different command set.
Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments (SCPI) is the new
instrument command language for controlling instruments that goes
beyond IEEE 488.2 to address a wide variety of instrument functions
in a standard manner. SCPI promotes consistency, from the remote
programming standpoint, between instruments of the same class and
between instruments with the same functional capability.
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HP-IB Programming 2-l