Agilent Technologies E1364A User manual

Agilent 75000 SERIES B
Agilent E1364A 16-Channel
Form C Switch Module
User’s Manual
Copyright© Agilent Technologies, Inc., 2006
*E1364-90002*
E1364-90002
E0406
Manual Part Number: E1364-90002
Microfiche Part Number: E1364-99002 Printed: April 2006 Edition 2 Rev 2 Printed in Malaysia E0406

Contents
Agilent E1364A Switch Module Table of Contents
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
WARNINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1. Agilent E1364A Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Instrument Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Switch Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Basic Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Typical Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Programming the Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Specifying SCPI Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Switch Card Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Switch Channel Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Initial Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2. Configuring the Agilent E1364A Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Connecting User Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Typical Switch Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
General Purpose Relay Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Relay Control Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Digital Output Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Changing Form C Switch Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Module Front Panel Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3. Using the Agilent E1364A Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Form C Switch Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Switching Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Switching Channels Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Scanning Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Scanning Channels Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4. Understanding the Agilent E1364A Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Scanning Channels Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using Scanning Trigger Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Scanning With External Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using the Scan Complete Bit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Special 488.2 Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
AgilentE1364ASwitch Module Table ofContents1

Storing States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Recalling States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SCPI Error Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5. Agilent E1364A Form C Switch Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Command Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Common Command Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
SCPI Command Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Command Separator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Abbreviated Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Implied Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Linking Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
SCPI Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
ABORt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
ARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
:COUNt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
:COUNt? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
DISPlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
MONitor:CARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
MONitor[:STATe] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
INITiate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
:CONTinuous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
:CONTinuous? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
[:IMMediate] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
OUTPut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
[:STATe] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
[:STATe]? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
[ROUTe:] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
CLOSe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
CLOSe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
OPEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
OPEN? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SCAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SCAN:MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
STATus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
:OPERation[:EVENt]? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
:OPERation:ENABle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
SYSTem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
:ERRor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
:CDEScription? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
:CTYPe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
:CPON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
TRlGger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
[:IMMediate] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
:SOURce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
:SOURce? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2 Agilent E1364ASwitchModuleTable of Contents

IEEE 488.2 Common Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Command Quick Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
A. Agilent E1364A Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Relay Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
End of Life Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Replacement Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
B. Agilent E1364A Form C Switch Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Register Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Addressing the Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Reading the Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
ID/Device Type Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Status/Control Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Channel Enable Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Writing to the Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Channel Enable Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
C. Agilent E1364A Form C Switch Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
AgilentE1364ASwitch Module Table ofContents3

Notes
4 Agilent E1364ASwitchModuleTable of Contents

Certification
Agilent Technologies certifies that this product met its published specifications at the time of shipment from the factory. Agilent
Technologies further certifies that its calibration measurements are traceable to the United States National Institute of Standards and
Technology(formerlyNationalBureauof Standards),totheextentallowedbythatorganization’scalibrationfacility,andtothe calibration
facilities of other International Standards Organization members.
Warranty
ThisAgilent Technologiesproductiswarranted againstdefectsinmaterialsand workmanshipfor a period of one yearfrom date of
shipment. Duration and conditions of warranty for this product may be superseded when the product is integrated into (becomes a part
of) other Agilent products. During the warranty period, Agilent Technologies will, at its option, either repair or replace products which
prove to be defective.
For warranty service or repair, this product must be returned to a service facility designated by Agilent Technologies. Buyer shall prepay
shipping charges to Agilent and Agilentshall pay shipping charges to return the product to Buyer. However, Buyer shall pay all shipping
charges, duties, and taxes for products returned to Agilent from another country.
Agilent warrants that its software and firmware designated by Agilent for use with a product will execute its programming instructions
when properly installed on that product. Agilent does not warrant that the operation of the product, or software, or firmware will be
uninterrupted or error free.
Limitation Of Warranty
The foregoing warranty shall not apply to defects resulting from improper or inadequate maintenance by Buyer, Buyer-supplied products
or interfacing, unauthorized modification or misuse, operation outside of the environmental specifications for the product, or improper site
preparation or maintenance.
The design and implementation of any circuit on this product is the sole responsibility of the Buyer. Agilent does not warrant the Buyer’s
circuitry or malfunctions of Agilent products that result from the Buyer’s circuitry. In addition, Agilent does not warrant any damage that
occurs as a result of the Buyer’s circuit or any defects that result from Buyer-supplied products.
NO OTHER WARRANTY IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Agilent SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Exclusive Remedies
THE REMEDIES PROVIDED HEREIN ARE BUYER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES. Agilent SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON CON-
TRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY.
Notice
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Agilent Technologies MAKES NO WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Agilent shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for
incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of this material. This document contains
proprietary information whichis protected by copyright. All rights arereserved. No partof thisdocumentmaybephotocopied,reproduced,
or translated to another language without the prior written consent of Agilent Technologies, Inc. Agilent assumes no responsibility for the
use or reliability of its software on equipment that is not furnished by Agilent.
U.S. Government Restricted Rights
The Software and Documentation have been developed entirely at private expense. They are delivered and licensed as "commercial
computer software" as defined in DFARS 252.227- 7013 (Oct 1988), DFARS 252.211-7015 (May 1991) or DFARS 252.227-7014 (Jun
1995),as a"commercialitem" asdefined in FAR 2.101(a),or as "Restrictedcomputer software" asdefined inFAR52.227-19(Jun 1987)(or
any equivalent agency regulation or contractclause), whichever is applicable. You have only those rights provided for such Software and
Documentation by the applicable FAR or DFARS clause or the Agilent standard software agreement for the product involved.
Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual
Edition 2 Rev 2
Copyright © 1995-2006 Agilent Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual 5

Frame or chassis ground terminal—typically
connects to the equipment’s metal frame.
Alternating current (AC).
Direct current (DC).
Indicates hazardous voltages.
Calls attention to a procedure, practice, or con-
dition that could cause bodily injury or death.
Calls attention to a procedure, practice, or con-
dition that could possibly cause damage to
equipment or permanent loss of data.
Indicates the field wiring terminal that must
beconnectedtoearthgroundbeforeoperating
the equipment—protects against electrical
shock in case of fault.
Instructionmanualsymbolaffixedtoproduct.
Indicates that the user must refer to the man-
ual for specific WARNING or CAUTION
information to avoid personal injury or dam-
age to the product.
or
WARNINGS
The following general safety precautions must be observed during all phases of operation, service, and repair of this product.
Failure to comply with these precautions or with specific warnings elsewhere in this manual violates safety standards of design,
manufacture, and intended use of the product. Agilent Technologies assumes no liability for the customer’s failure to comply with
these requirements.
Ground the equipment: For Safety Class 1 equipment (equipment having a protective earth terminal), an uninterruptible safety earth
ground must be provided from the mains power source to the product input wiring terminals or supplied power cable.
DO NOT operate the product in an explosive atmosphere or in the presence of flammable gases or fumes.
For continued protection against fire, replace the line fuse(s) only with fuse(s) of the same voltage and current rating and type.
DO NOT use repaired fuses or short-circuited fuse holders.
Keep away from live circuits: Operating personnel must not remove equipment covers or shields. Procedures involving the removal of
covers or shields are for use by service-trained personnel only. Under certain conditions, dangerous voltages may exist even with the
equipment switched off. To avoid dangerous electrical shock, DO NOT perform procedures involving cover or shield removal unless you
are qualified to do so.
DO NOT operate damaged equipment: Whenever it is possible that the safety protection features built into this product have been
impaired, either through physical damage, excessive moisture, or any other reason, REMOVE POWER and do not use the product until
safe operation can be verified by service-trained personnel. If necessary, return the product to an Agilent Technologies Sales and Service
Office for service and repair to ensure that safety features are maintained.
DO NOT service or adjust alone: Do not attempt internal service or adjustmentunless another person, capable of rendering first aid and
resuscitation, is present.
DO NOTsubstitute parts or modify equipment: Because of the danger of introducing additional hazards, do not install substitute parts
or perform any unauthorized modification to the product. Return the product to an Agilent Technologies Sales and Service Office for
service and repair to ensure that safety features are maintained.
Printing History
The Printing History shown below lists all Editions and Updates of this manual and the printing date(s). The first printing of the manual
is Edition 1. The Edition number increments by 1 whenever the manual is revised. Updates, which are issued between Editions, contain
replacement pages to correct the current Edition of the manual. Updates are numbered sequentially starting with Update 1. When a new
Edition is created, it contains all the Update information for the previous Edition. Each new Edition or Update also includes a revised copy
of this printing history page. Many product updates or revisions do not require manual changes and, conversely, manual corrections may
be done without accompanying product changes. Therefore, do not expect a one-to-one correspondence between product updates and
manual updates.
Edition 1 (Part Number E1364-90001). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 1989
Edition 2 (Part Number E1364-90002). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 1995
Edition 2 Rev 2 (Part Number E1364-90002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 2006
Safety Symbols
WARNING
CAUTION
6 Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
According to ISO/IEC Guide 22 and CEN/CENELEC EN 45014
Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual 7
Manufacturer’s Name: Agilent Technologies, Incorporated
Manufacturer’s Address: 815 – 14th St. SW
Loveland, Colorado 80537
USA
Declares, that the product
Product Name: VXI B-Size 16 Channel Form C Switch
Model Number: E1364A
Product Options: This declaration covers all options of the above product(s).
Conforms with the following European Directives:
The product herewith complies with the requirements of the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC and the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC
(including 93/68/EEC) and carries the CE Marking accordingly.
Conforms with the following product standards:
EMC Standard
CISPR 11:1990 / EN 55011:1991
IEC 801-2:1991 / EN 50082-1:1992
IEC 801-3:1984 / EN 50082-1:1992
IEC 801-4:1988 / EN 50082-1:1992
Limit
Group 1 Class A
4kV CD, 8kV AD
3 V/m
0.5kV signal lines, 1kV power lines
The product was tested in a typical configuration with Agilent Technologies or Hewlett-Packard Company test
systems.
Safety IEC 1010-1:1990+A1:1992 / EN 61010-1:1993
Canada: CSA C22.2 No. 1010.1:1992
UL 1244
5 June 2001
Date Ray Corson
Product Regulations Program Manager
For further information, please contact your local Agilent Technologies sales office, agent or distributor.
Authorized EU-representative: Agilent Technologies Deutschland GmbH, Herrenberger Straβe 130, D 71034 Böblingen, Germany

Notes
8 Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual

Notes
Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual 9

Notes
10 Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch User’s Manual

Chapter 1
Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A
Using This Chapter
This chapter includes a Form C Switch description, addressing guidelines,
and an example program to check initial operation. Chapter contents are:
•Instrument Definition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
•Programming the Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13
•Initial Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15
Instrument Definition
Agilent plug-in modules installed in an Agilent mainframe are treated as
independent instruments each having a unique secondary GPIB address.
Each instrument is also assigned a dedicated error queue, input and output
buffers, status registers and, if applicable, dedicated mainframe memory
space for readings or data. An instrument may be composed of a single
plug-in module or multiple plug-in modules (for a Switchbox or Scanning
Voltmeter Instrument).
Switch Description The Agilent E1364A 16-Channel Form C Switch Module is a B-Size
VXIbus and VMEbus register-based product which can be used for
switching/scanning, control, and digital output applications. The switch can
operate in a B-Size VXIbus or VMEbus mainframe or (with an adapter) in a
C-Size VXIbus mainframe. The module has 16 channels of Form C relays.
Each channel includes a relay with common (C), normally open (NO), and
normally closed (NC) contacts.
For the Form C Switch, switching consists of opening or closing a channel
relay to provide alternate connections to user devices. Scanning consists of
closing a set of relays, one at a time. By adding jumpers and
pullup/pulldown resistors, the switch can be used to control external user
devices or as a digital output device.
Basic Operation As shown in Figure 1-1, the Form C Switch consists of 16 channels
(channels 00 through 15). Each channel uses a latching relay. As required,
jumpers can be added to connect +5 V or +12 V for control or digital output
applications. Also, pullup resistors can be added for digital output
applications.
Chapter 1 Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A 11

Each channel is switched by opening or closing the appropriate channel
relay. Since the relays are latching, the relay remains in the last state during
power-up or power-down. When a reset occurs, all channel commons (C)
are connected to the corresponding normally closed (NC) contacts. User
inputs/outputs to each channel are via the NO, NC, and C terminal
connectors on the terminal module.
Figure 1-1. Form C Switch Simplified Diagram
12 Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A Chapter 1

Typical
Configuration The Form C Switch accepts user inputs up to 250 V dc or 250 V ac peak
(177 V ac RMS) at 1 A dc or ac RMS (non-inductive). Maximum rated
power capacity is 30 W or 40 VA per channel. Channel closure time is
about 15 msec, so the maximum scan rate is about 50 Hz.
As noted, the switch may be configured for general purpose
switching/scanning, control, or digital output applications. For general
purpose switching or scanning, no additional configuration is required. To
configure the switch for control applications, install jumpers to connect a
+ 5V or + 12V source and GND. To configure the switch for digital output
applications, connect jumpers and install pullup/pulldown resistors as
required. See Chapter 2 for configuration details.
For a SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments)
environment, multiple Form C Switches can be configured as a switchbox
instrument. For a switchbox instrument, all switch channels within the
instrument can be addressed using a single interface address. Single,
multiple, or continuous scanning of specified switch channels is available
for any switchbox configuration.
Programming the Switch
To program the Form C Switch using SCPI, you must know the module’s
logical address, module number, and the SCPI commands to be used.
Guidelines to select SCPI commands for the Form C Switch follow. See the
Agilent 75000 Series B Installation and Getting Started Guide for interface
addressing and computer language information.
Note This discussion applies only to SCPI (Standard Commands for
Programmable Instruments) programming. See Appendix B, Form C Switch
Registers, for information on Form C Switch registers.
Specifying SCPI
Commands To address specific channels within a Form C Switch, you must specify the
SCPI command and switch channel address. For the Form C Switch, use
CLOSe <channel_list> to connect the normally open (NO) terminal to the
common (C) terminal for the channels specified. Use OPEN <channel_list>
to connect the normally closed (NC) terminal to the common (C) terminal
for the channels specified. Use SCAN <channel_list> to close the set of
channels specified, one channel at a time.
Switch Channel
Addresses For the Form C Switch, the channel address (<channel_list>) has the form
(@ccnn) where cc = switch card number (01-99) and nn = channel numbers
(00-15).
Chapter 1 Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A 13

You can address single channels (@ccnn); multiple channels
(@ccnn,ccnn,...); sequential channels (@ccnn:ccnn); groups of sequential
channels (@ccnn:ccnn,ccnn:ccnn); or any combination.
Switch Card
Numbers The switch card number depends on the switchbox configuration
(single-module or multiple-module) set for the switches. (Leading zeroes
can be ignored for the card number.) For a single-module switchbox, the
card number is always 01.
For a multiple-module switchbox, the card numbers are 01, 02,...,nn. The
module with the lowest logical address is card number 01, the module with
the next-lowest logical address is card number 02, etc. (See the Agilent
75000 Series B Installation and Getting Started Guide for a definition of
logical addresses.)
Example:
Multiple-Module
Switchbox Card
Numbers
Assume the three Form C Switches in the following figure form a switchbox
instrument with switch logicaladdressesof120, 121, and 122.Sincecard
number 01 is assigned to the module with the lowest logical address, etc.,
the card numbers are as shown.
Switch Channel
Numbers Form C Switch channel numbers are 00 through 15. The channels can be
addressed using channel numbers or channel ranges. For a single-module
switchbox, channel ranges can span across the channels. For
multiple-module switchboxes, channel ranges can span across the channels
of all modules.
Use commas (,) to form a channel list or use a colon (:) to form a channel
range. Only valid channels can be accessed in a channel list or channel
range. Also, the channel list or channel range must be from a lower channel
number to a higher channel number. For example, CLOS (@100:215) is
acceptable, but CLOS (@215:100) generates an error.
14 Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A Chapter 1

Example: Form C
Switch Channel
Lists/Ranges
Channel Lists:
CLOS (@100,112) Close channels 00 and 12 on card
01
OPEN (@203,210) Open channels 03 and 10 on card
02
Channel Ranges:
OPEN (@100:115) Open all channels on card 01
SCAN (@100:115) Scan all channels on card 01
Initial Operation
An example program follows which uses BASIC and the SCPI language to
get you started using the Form C Switch. The example assumes an Agilent
9000 Series 200/300 (or equivalent) computer and a General Purpose
Interface Bus (GPIB). (GPIB is the implementation of the IEEE 488.2-1987
standard.)
This program closes channel 02 of a Form C Switch at logical address 120
(secondary address = 120/8 = 15) and queries the channel closure state. The
result is returned to the computer and displayed (1 = channel closed, 0 =
channel open). See the Agilent 75000 Series B Installation and Getting
Started Guide for information on addressing.
Example: Close Form C Switch Channel
10 OUTPUT 70915;"CLOS (@102)" ! Close channel 02
20 OUTPUT 7091 5;"CLOS? (@102)" ! Query channel 02 state
30 ENTER 70915;Value ! Enter result into Value
40 PRINT Value ! Display result
50 END
Chapter 1 Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A 15

16 Getting Started with the Agilent E1364A Chapter 1

Chapter 2
Configuring the Agilent E1364A Form C
Switch
Using This Chapter
This chapter shows how to make user connections to the Form C Switch and
how to configure the switch module. Chapter contents are:
•Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 17
•Connecting User Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
•Typical Switch Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20
•Changing Form C Switch Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 23
•Module Front Panel Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24
Warnings and Cautions
Warning SHOCK HAZARD. Only qualified, service-trained personnel who
are aware of the hazards involved should install, configure, or
remove the module. Use wire rated for the highest input voltage
and remove all power sources from the mainframe and installed
modules before installing or removing a module.
Caution MAXIMUM VOLTAGE/CURRENT. Maximum allowable voltage per
channel for the module is 250 Vdc or 250 Vac RMS (350 V ac peak).
Maximum current per channel is 1 Adc or 1 Aac RMS (non-inductive).
Maximum power input is 40 W (dc) or 40 VA (ac) per channel or 320 W
(dc) or 320 VA (ac) per module. Exceeding any limit may damage the
module.
Caution CONNECTING + 5V + 12V: On the module, the backplane + 5V line is
fused at 4 A and the + 12V line at 1 A. When connecting + 5V or + 12V to
the Form C Switch, install appropriate pullup resistors to prevent shorting
the power supplies. Also, the total current drawn by all circuits connected to
the Form C Switch must not exceed the fuse rating for the supplies used.
Chapter 2 Configuring the Agilent E1364A Form C Switch 17

Caution STATIC-SENSITIVE DEVICE. Use anti-static procedures when removing,
configuring, and installing a module. The Form C Switch is susceptible to
static discharges. Do not install the Form C Switch without its metal shield
attached.
Connecting User Inputs
The Form C Switch consists of a component module and a connector block.
User inputs to the Form C Switch are to the NO, NC, and C terminal
connectors on the terminal block. Figure 2-1 shows the connector block and
associated channel numbers. Figure 2-2 shows how to connect user (field)
wiring to the connector block.
Figure 2-1. Form C Switch Terminal Block
18 Configuring the Agilent E1364A Form C Switch Chapter 2