Top Ten SCPI Programming Tips for Signal Generators - Rohde ...

Waveform Transfer & Loading
7 Waveform Transfer & Loading
7.1 Waveform Transfer
At first, set the default path to “D:\” for Windows-based instruments such as the
R&S ® SMU using the following commands:
SCPI sequence: MMEM:MSIS 'D:'
MMEM:CDIR '\'
Always store your data on the instrument’s D: drive and not on the C: drive. This
ensures that your data is not erased when performing a firmware update or recovery.
Set the default path to “/var/user” or “/hdd” for Linux-based instruments such as the
R&S ® SMBV using the following command:
SCPI command: MMEM:CDIR '/hdd/'
Data stored on the “/var/user” or “/hdd” directories is not erased when performing a
firmware update or recovery.
A waveform file contains ASCII text (i.e. mandatory and optional information tags
forming the waveform header) and binary data (I/Q data). To transfer the waveform to
the instrument, send the complete content of the waveform file as a binary data block
using the following command:
SCPI command: MMEM:DATA '',
#
indicates the length in bytes of the binary data block.
indicates how many digits has.
Example: MMEM:DATA 'test.wv', #267
(See reference [1] for a detailed description of the command structure – search for
keyword “mmem:data”.)
This command creates a new “test.wv” file or replaces an existing “test.wv” file.
Note that the command SOUR:BB:ARB:WAV:DATA can also be used to transfer
binary data to the instrument. However, this command does not replace the file but
appends the transferred data to the file.
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