Keysight Technologies U3606B User manual

Keysight U3606B
Multimeter|DC Power Supply
Programmer’s
Reference

U3606B Programmer’s Reference III
Notices
© Keysight Technologies 2012, 2014
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Manual Part Number
U3606-90068
Edition
Edition 3, November 28, 2014
Keysight Technologies
1400 Fountaingrove Parkway
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
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met.

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U3606B Programmer’s Reference V
Table of Contents
1 Introduction to SCPI
Introduction to the SCPI Language 2
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats 3
Command separators 4
Syntax conventions 8
Data types and formats 9
Input message terminators 10
Using device clear 11
SCPI Status System 12
Standard Event register 14
Status Byte register 15
Operation Status register 16
Questionable Status register 17
2 CALCulate Subsystem
CALCulate:FUNCtion 20
CALCulate[:STATe] 24
CALCulate:AVERage:AVERage? 26
CALCulate:AVERage:COUNt? 27
CALCulate:AVERage:MAXimum? 28
CALCulate:AVERage:MINimum? 29
CALCulate:AVERage:PRESent? 30
CALCulate:DB:REFerence 31
CALCulate:DBM:REFerence 33
CALCulate:HOLD:VARiation 35
CALCulate:HOLD:THReshold 37

VI U3606B Programmer’s Reference
CALCulate:LIMit:LOWer 39
CALCulate:LIMit:UPPer 41
CALCulate:NULL:OFFSet 43
3 CALibration Subsystem
CALibration[:ALL]? 48
CALibration:COUNt? 49
CALibration:SECure:CODE 50
CALibration:SECure:STATe 52
CALibration:STRing 54
CALibration:VALue 56
CALibration:LEVel 58
Remote Calibration Procedures 59
Zero offset adjustments 61
Gain adjustments 63
Output adjustments 79
4 CONFigure Subsystem
CONFigure? 86
CONFigure[:VOLTage][:DC] 87
CONFigure[:VOLTage]:AC 90
CONFigure[:VOLTage]:ACDC|DCAC 94
CONFigure:CURRent[:DC] 98
CONFigure:CURRent:AC 101
CONFigure:CURRent:ACDC|DCAC 104
CONFigure:RESistance 107
CONFigure:CONTinuity 110

U3606B Programmer’s Reference VII
CONFigure:LRESistance 112
CONFigure:CAPacitance 115
CONFigure:DIODe 118
CONFigure:FREQuency 120
CONFigure:PWIDth 123
CONFigure:DCYCle 125
5 INITiate Subsystem
INITiate[:IMMediate] 130
INITiate:CONTinuous 132
6 LOG Subsystem
LOG[:STATe] 136
LOG:DATA:DELete 138
LOG:LOAD {DATA} 139
LOG:DATA? 140
7 MEASure Subsystem
MEASure[:VOLTage][:DC]? 142
MEASure[:VOLTage]:AC? 145
MEASure[:VOLTage]:ACDC|DCAC? 148
MEASure:CURRent[:DC]? 151
MEASure:CURRent:AC? 154
MEASure:CURRent:ACDC|DCAC? 157
MEASure:RESistance? 160
MEASure:CONTinuity? 163
MEASure:LRESistance? 165

VIII U3606B Programmer’s Reference
MEASure:CAPacitance? 168
MEASure:DIODe? 171
MEASure:FREQuency? 172
MEASure:PWIDth? 174
MEASure:DCYCle? 176
8 MEMory Subsystem
MEMory:STATe:RECall:AUTO 180
9 OUTPut Subsystem
OUTPut[:STATe] 184
10 SENSe Subsystem
[SENSe:]FUNCtion[:ON] 187
[SENSe:]VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe[:UPPer] 189
[SENSe:]VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO 191
[SENSe:]VOLTage[:DC]:RESolution 193
[SENSe:]VOLTage:AC:RANGe[:UPPer] 195
[SENSe:]VOLTage:AC:RANGe:AUTO 197
[SENSe:]VOLTage:AC:RESolution 199
[SENSe:]VOLTage:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe[:UPPer] 201
[SENSe:]VOLTage:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe:AUTO 203
[SENSe:]VOLTage:ACDC|DCAC:RESolution 205
[SENSe:]CURRent[:DC]:RANGe[:UPPer] 207
[SENSe:]CURRent[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO 209
[SENSe:]CURRent[:DC]:RESolution 211
[SENSe:]CURRent:AC:RANGe[:UPPer] 213

U3606B Programmer’s Reference IX
[SENSe:]CURRent:AC:RANGe:AUTO 215
[SENSe:]CURRent:AC:RESolution 217
[SENSe:]CURRent:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe[:UPPer] 219
[SENSe:]CURRent:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe:AUTO 221
[SENSe:]CURRent:ACDC|DCAC:RESolution 223
[SENSe:]RESistance:RANGe[:UPPer] 225
[SENSe:]RESistance:RANGe:AUTO 227
[SENSe:]RESistance:RESolution 229
[SENSe:]CONTinuity:RANGe[:UPPer] 231
[SENSe:]CONTinuity:RANGe:AUTO 233
[SENSe:]LRESistance:RANGe[:UPPer] 235
[SENSe:]LRESistance:RANGe:AUTO 237
[SENSe:]LRESistance:RESolution 239
[SENSe:]LRESistance:COMPensation 241
[SENSe:]CAPacitance:RANGe[:UPPer] 242
[SENSe:]CAPacitance:RANGe:AUTO 244
[SENSe:]FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe[:UPPer] 246
[SENSe:]FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO 248
[SENSe:]PWIDth:VOLTage:RANGe[:UPPer] 250
[SENSe:]PWIDth:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO 252
[SENSe:]DCYCle:VOLTage:RANGe[:UPPer] 254
[SENSe:]DCYCle:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO 256
[SENSe:]FREQuency:CURRent:RANGe[:UPPer] 258
[SENSe:]FREQuency:CURRent:RANGe:AUTO 260
[SENSe:]PWIDth:CURRent:RANGe[:UPPer] 262

X U3606B Programmer’s Reference
[SENSe:]PWIDth:CURRent:RANGe:AUTO 264
[SENSe:]DCYCle:CURRent:RANGe[:UPPer] 266
[SENSe:]DCYCle:CURRent:RANGe:AUTO 268
11 SOURce Subsystem
[SOURce:]SENSe 273
[SOURce:]SENSe:VOLTage[:LEVel]? 274
[SOURce:]SENSe:CURRent[:LEVel]? 275
SOURce:VOLTage:RANGe 276
SOURce:CURRent:RANGe 278
SOURce:SQUare:RANGe 280
[SOURce:]VOLTage:LIMit 281
[SOURce:]CURRent:LIMit 283
[SOURce:]VOLTage:PROTection 285
[SOURce:]CURRent:PROTection 287
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] 289
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] 290
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:RAMP[:AMPLitude] 291
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:RAMP[:AMPLitude] 293
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:RAMP:STEP 295
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:RAMP:STEP 296
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:SCAN[:AMPLitude] 297
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:SCAN[:AMPLitude] 299
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:SCAN:STEP 301
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:SCAN:STEP 302

U3606B Programmer’s Reference XI
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:SCAN:DWELling 303
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:SCAN:DWELling 304
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:AMPLitude 305
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:FREQuency 306
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:DCYCle 307
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:PWIDth 309
[SOURce:]PROTection[:STATe] 312
[SOURce:]SSTart:STEP 314
12 STATus Subsystem
STATus:OPERation:CONDition? 318
STATus:OPERation:ENABle 319
STATus:OPERation[:EVENt]? 322
STATus:PRESet 323
STATus:QUEStionable:CONDition? 324
STATus:QUEStionable:ENABle 326
STATus:QUEStionable[:EVENt]? 328
13 SYSTem Subsystem
SYSTem:BEEPer[:IMMediate] 332
SYSTem:BEEPer:STATe 333
SYSTem:DATA:INTerval 335
SYSTem:DATA:LOOP 336
SYSTem:DEFault 337
SYSTem:ERRor? 338
SYSTem:LOCal 340

XII U3606B Programmer’s Reference
SYSTem:PRESet 341
SYSTem:RWLock 342
SYSTem:SMOoth[:STATe] 343
SYSTem:SMOoth:FLUCtuation 345
SYSTem:SMOoth:POINts 347
SYSTem:VERSion? 349
14 TRIGger Subsystem
TRIGger:SOURce 352
15 Root Commands
ABORt 356
FETCh? 357
READ? 359
16 IEEE-488.2 Common Commands
*CLS 362
*ESE 363
*ESR? 365
*IDN? 366
*OPC 367
*PSC 368
*RCL 369
*RST 371
*SAV 375
*SRE 377
*STB? 380

U3606B Programmer’s Reference XIII
*TRG 381
*TST? 382
*WAI 383
17 List of Error Messages
Error Messages 386
Command errors 387
Execution errors 388
Internal errors 389
Query errors 389
Device specific errors 389
Self-test errors 390
Calibration errors 391

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U3606B Multimeter|DC Power Supply
Programmer’s Reference
1
Introduction to SCPI
Introduction to the SCPI Language 2
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats 3
Command separators 4
Syntax conventions 8
Data types and formats 9
Input message terminators 10
Using device clear 11
SCPI Status System 12
Standard Event register 14
Status Byte register 15
Operation Status register 16
Questionable Status register 17
This chapter introduces the remote programming basics of the U3606B.
The SCPI programming commands provide the means to control this
instrument remotely via a PC.
NOTE
During remote programming, various SCPI commands are stringed
together in a single programming module. As the programming module
executes each SCPI command sequentially, a 1 millisecond interval
between each subsequent SCPI command is recommended to allow the
U3606B Multimeter|DC Power Supply sufficient command processing
time.

1 Introduction to SCPI
Introduction to the SCPI Language
2 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Introduction to the SCPI Language
SCPI, also known as the Standard Commands for Programmable
Instruments, is an ASCII- based instrument command language designed
for test and measurement instruments. SCPI commands defines how you
communicate with an instrument from a bus controller.
They are based on a hierarchical structure, similar to the file systems
used by many bus controllers. This hierarchical structure is also known as
a tree system. In this system, associated commands are grouped together
under a common node or root, thus forming subsystems. You must specify
the complete path to execute the individual lower- level commands. A
portion of the SOURce subsystem is shown below to illustrate the tree
system.
SOURce
:VOLTage
:LIMit <value>
:LIMit?
SOURce
:CURRent
:RANGe <value>
SOURce is the root keyword of the command, VOLTage and CURRent are
second- level keywords, and LIMit and RANGe are third- level keywords. A
colon (:) separates a command keyword from a lower- level keyword.
Mnemonic forms
Each keyword has both a long and a short form. A standard notation is
used to differentiate the short form keyword from the long form keyword.
The long form of the keyword is shown, with the short form portion
shown in uppercase characters, and the rest of the keyword shown in
lowercase characters. For example, the short form of SOURce is SOUR.
For shorter program lines, you can send the abbreviated form. For better
program readability, you can send the long form. For example, in the
above syntax statement, SOURce and SOUR are both acceptable forms. You
can use a mixture of upper- case and lower- case letters. Therefore,
SOURCE, sour, and Sour are all acceptable forms. Other forms, such as
SOU and sourc, are not valid and will generate an error.

Introduction to SCPI 1
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
U3606B Programmer’s Reference 3
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
Throughout this document, the following conventions and formats are used
in the SCPI command examples. The examples are presented in the
following manner:
Example
This programming snippet illustrates how several commands are used
together to instruct the U3606B to make a single DC voltage measurement.
&CONF 10, 0.0001 A right directional arrow (&) indicates a
command that is sent to the instrument.
The abbreviated form of the command is
favoured over the long form for shorter program
lines. See “Mnemonic forms” on page 2 for more
information.
Optional keywords are omitted in the command
syntax. See “Square brackets” on page 8 for
more information.
&TRIG:SOUR BUS
&INIT The particular command or query in question is
highlighted in the programming snippet.
This example illustrates how the “INIT”
command is used within a larger programming
module.
&*TRG Command s beginning with an “*” indicates a
IEEE-488.2 common command. See “Using “*”
commands” on page 7 for more information.
&FETC? A command ending with a “?” indicates a query
that is sent to the instrument. See “Using “?”
commands” on page 6 for more information.
$9.985308E+00 A left directional arrow (
$ ) indicates a return
message from the instrument.

1 Introduction to SCPI
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
4 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Command separators
Using a colon
A colon ( :) is used to separate a command keyword from a lower- level
keyword. When a colon is inserted between two command mnemonics, the
colon moves the path down one level in the present path (for the specified
root- level command) of the command tree. You must separate command
mnemonics from each other using a colon as shown below:
&MEM:STAT:REC:AUTO ON
An error is generated if you do not use the colon in your command string.
&MEM STAT REC AUTO ON
&SYST:ERR?
Typical response:
$-113,"Undefined header"
When a colon is the first character of a command keyword, it indicates
that the next command mnemonic is a root- level command.
&:CALC:FUNC NULL
This indicates that the CALC command mnemonic is a root- level command.
However, you can omit the leading colon if the command is the first of a
new program line.
&CALC:FUNC NULL

Introduction to SCPI 1
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
U3606B Programmer’s Reference 5
Using a semicolon
Use a semicolon ( ;) to separate two commands within the same
command string. For example, sending the following command string:
&:SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5;:SOUR:VOLT:LIM 8
is the same as sending the following two commands.
&SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5
&SOUR:VOLT:LIM 8
The semicolon does not change the present path specified. For example,
the following two statements are equivalent.
&:SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5;:SOUR:VOLT:LIM 8
&:SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5;LIM 8
Note that in the first statement, the first colon is optional but the fourth
is compulsory.
Using a comma
If a command requires more than one parameter, you must separate
adjacent parameters using a comma ( ,).
CONFigure[:VOLTage]:AC
[<range>|AUTO|MAX|MIN|DEF[,{<resolution>|MAX|MIN|DEF}]]
The angle brackets are not sent with the command string. See “Syntax
conventions” on page 8 for more information.
&CONF:AC 10, 0.001

1 Introduction to SCPI
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
6 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Using whitespace
You must use whitespace characters, [tab], or [space] to separate a
parameter from a command keyword. Whitespace characters are generally
ignored only in parameter lists. You may omit the whitespace characters
only in parameter lists.
For example, sending the following command:
&CONF:AC 10,0.01
is the same as sending this command:
&CONF:AC 10, 0.01
However, an error is generated if you do not use a whitespace character
to separate a parameter from a command keyword in your command
string.
&CONF:AC10,0.01
&SYST:ERR?
Typical response:
$-113,"Undefined header"
Using “?” commands
The bus controller may send commands at any time, but a SCPI- equipped
instrument may only send responses when specifically instructed to do so.
Only query commands (commands that end with a “?”) will instruct the
instrument to send a response message. Queries return either measured
values or internal instrument settings.
For example, the following command sets the U3606B to measure AC
current within a range of 100 mA.
&CONF:CURR:AC 0.1
You can then query the present measurement configuration by sending:
&CONF?
Typical response:
$CURR:AC +1.000000E-01,+1000000E-05