Operating instructions

Structure and Syntax of the Device Messages R&S ESCI
1166.6004.12 5.14 E-1
Text Text parameters observe the syntactic rules for key words, i.e. they can be
entered using a short or long form. Like any parameter, they have to be
separated from the header by a white space. In the case of a query, the short
form of the text is provided.
Example: Setting command: INPut:COUPling GROund
Query: INPut:COUPling? Response GRO
Strings Strings must always be entered in quotation marks (' or ").
Example: SYSTem:LANGuage "SCPI" or
SYSTem:LANGuage 'SCPI'
Block data Block data are a transmission format which is suitable for the transmission of
large amounts of data. A command using a block data parameter has the
following structure:
Example: HEADer:HEADer #45168xxxxxxxx
ASCII character # introduces the data block. The next number indicates how
many of the following digits describe the length of the data block. In the example
the 4 following digits indicate the length to be 5168 bytes. The data bytes follow.
During the transmission of these data bytes all End or other control signs are
ignored until all bytes are transmitted.
Overview of Syntax Elements
The following survey offers an overview of the syntax elements.
:
;
,
?
*
"
#
The colon separates the key words of a command.
In a command line the colon after the separating semicolon marks the uppermost command
level.
The semicolon separates two commands of a command line. It does not alter the path.
The comma separates several parameters of a command.
The question mark forms a query.
The asterix marks a common command.
Quotation marks introduce a string and terminate it.
The double dagger ( #) introduces block data
A "white space (ASCII-Code 0 to 9, 11 to 32 decimal, e.g.blank) separates header and parameter.