User`s manual

How to Make Measurements
This section explains when you should use MEASure or CONFigure to
configure the multimeter. It also shows you how to make measurements
once the configuration is set.
Using MEASure When MEASure is used, the measurement is taken automatically after the
configuration is set. For example, executing
MEASure as:
MEAS:VOLT:DC? 0.91,0.953E-6,(@100:104)
makes measurements on channels 100 through 104 after setting the function
to DC voltage, the range to 0.91 V, the resolution to 0.953 µV, and the
remainder of the parameters as shown in Table 4-1 on page 77.
Because the measurement is taken immediately, variations to the multimeter
configuration are limited to the parameters within the
MEASure command
(range, resolution, channel list).
Using CONFigure Use CONFigure for applications requiring a configuration different from
that available with
MEASure. CONFigure does not make a measurement
after setting the configuration. Any of the low-level commands
(see Table 4-1 on page 77) can be used to change selected parameters
before a measurement is made.
Assume an application requires the following configuration:
• 4-wire resistance measurements
• 1861 ohm range
• Maximum (best) resolution
• Measure four multiplexer channels
• Offset compensated measurements
• Three scans (passes) through the channel list
MEASure cannot be used since it turns offset compensation off
(
RES:OCOM OFF). MEASure also sets the multimeter to make one scan
(
TRIGger:COUNt 1), while the application requires three scans.
By setting the configuration with
CONFigure, the low-level commands
RESistance:OCOMpensated and TRIGger:COUNt can be used to turn offset
compensation
ON and set the desired number of scans:
CONF:FRES 1861,MAX,(@100:103)
RES:OCOM ON
TRIG:COUN 3
78 Understanding the HP E1326B/E1411B Multimeter Chapter 4