Rigol DS1204B Operating instructions

Programming Guide RIGOL
Publication Number: PGA04105-1110
Oct. 2008
DS1000B Series Digital Oscilloscope
DS1204B/DS1104B/DS1064B
© 2008 RIGOL Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved

RIGOL
Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
I
© 2008 RIGOL Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved
RIGOL products are protected by patent law in and outside of P.R. China.
Information in this publication replaces all previously corresponding material.
RIGOL Technologies, Inc. reserves the right to modify or change part of or all the
specifications and pricing policies at company’s sole decision.
NOTE: RIGOL is registered trademark of RIGOL Technologies, Inc.

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Content
Chapter 1 Programming Introduction................................................... 1-1
Communication Ports.................................................................................1-2
Symbol Instruction ....................................................................................1-3
Command Abbreviation..............................................................................1-4
Chapter 2 DS1000B Command Systems ............................................... 2-1
System Commands....................................................................................2-2
Keyboard Commands.................................................................................2-6
Measurement Commands......................................................................... 2-22
Acquire Commands ................................................................................. 2-33
Display Commands.................................................................................. 2-36
Vertical Commands.................................................................................. 2-42
Horizontal Commands.............................................................................. 2-49
Trigger Commands .................................................................................. 2-54
Trigger Control Commands ................................................................ 2-54
Trigger Mode Commands................................................................... 2-60
Math Commands ..................................................................................... 2-77
Waveform Commands.............................................................................. 2-79
Utility Commands .................................................................................... 2-88
Storage Commands ................................................................................. 2-91
Mask Commands..................................................................................... 2-96
Cursor Commands................................................................................. 2-102
Other Commands .................................................................................. 2-109
Chapter 3 Programming Examples........................................................ 3-1
Example 1 The Preparation for Programming...............................................3-2
Example 2 Setting the basic measurement ..................................................3-3
Example 3 Storaging and Setting the File ....................................................3-4
Example 4 Reading the Data of Screen Image .............................................3-6
Command Quick Reference ......................................................................... I

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
1-1
Chapter 1 Programming Introduction
This book provides guidance to the remote control programming of the DS1000B
series digital oscilloscopes.
It includes the necessary conceptual information, the command structure for the
subsystems and the application cases. Users can carry out the remote control to the
oscilloscope or do the further development according to this manual.
NOTE: The Programming Guide is applicable to the firmware version of the
Oscilloscope above 00.02.04.

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
1-2
Communication Ports
Computers can communicate with the oscilloscope by sending and receiving messages
over USB and LAN interface. Commands in the form of ASCII character strings are
embedded in your computer to make control easier. The input commands of the host
language are used to read responses from the oscilloscope.
Basic operations that you can do with a computer and an oscilloscope include:
Set up the oscilloscope;
Relational measurements;
Acquire data (waveforms or measurement data) from the oscilloscope.

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
1-3
Symbol Instruction
1. Command Sperator :
Commands usually begin with a colon (:), in special case, such as IEEE
commands will begin with (*), it represents operations the oscilloscope will take.
Queries are formed by adding a question mark (?) at the end of the commands.
The return values of the queries are mostly expressed in scientific notation.
Forms of commands and inquiries have different programme datum usually. But
some others are not need to input the programme datum.
2. Blank Space □
Blank space is used to separate the instruction from the program data. If the
command does not include any program data, a blank space is not needed.
3. Braces { }
If several options separated by “|” are enclosed via “{ }”, only one element may
be selected. For example, {ON | OFF} indicates that only ON or OFF may be
available, not both.
4. Square Brackets [ ]
Items enclosed in “[ ]”can be chosen or not, it’s optional.
5. Triangle Brackets < >
Items enclosed in “< >”should be replaced by a numerical value or character
string.

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Command Abbreviation
Owing to some of the commands are too long to memory and spell, the commands
system of DS1000B especially setup the Commands Abbreviation in order to reduce
your workload and the difficulty to memory.
The abbreviation rule is all the small letters in the command header are omitted.
For example: :TRIGger:ALTernation:SOURce
Its abbreviation is:
:TRIG:ALT:SOUR

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Chapter 2 DS1000B Command Systems
DS1000B Commands System includes the following command subsystems:
System Commands
Keyboard Commands
Measurement Commands
Acquire Commands
Display Commands
Vertical Commands
Horizontal Commands
Trigger Commands
Math Commands
Waveform Commands
Utility Commands
Storage Commands
Mask Commands
Cursor Commands
Other Commands

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
2-2
System Commands
System Commands are used for the basic operations of an oscilloscope. They can not
only be used as an individual command but also in conjunction with other commands
to form instructions.
System Commands include:
*IDN?
:RUN
:STOP
:AUTO
:FORCetrig
:Trig%50
*RST
*LRN?
*OPC?
:SINGLE

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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1. *IDN?
Command Format:
*IDN?
Function:
The command queries the company name, the oscilloscope model, the product
serial and the software version.
Return Format:
Company name,, <model>, <serial>, <version>.
Example:
*IDN? Return Rigol Technologies, DS1204B, DS10000000, 00.02.04.
2. :RUN
Command Format:
:RUN
Function:
Execute this command, the oscilloscope will start waveform sampling working ,if
to stop working, execute :STOP command again.
3. :STOP
Command Format:
:STOP
Function:
Execute this command, the oscilloscope will stop waveform sampling working , if
to restart working, execute :RUN command again.
4. :AUTO
Command Format:
:AUTO

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Function:
The command makes the oscilloscope tests all input waveforms and set the waveforms
automatically to get the optimum conditions to display.
5. :FORCetrig
Command Format:
:FORCetrig
Function:
The command wil produce a trigger signal to force the oscilloscope trigger and
to display a waveform when there is no suitable trigger condition. It is mainly
applicable to the “Normal”and “Single”trigger modes.
6. :Trig%50
Command Format:
:Trig%50
Function:
The command sets the trigger level at the vertical midpoint of the signal amplitude.
7. *RST
Command Format:
*RST
Function:
The command resets the system.
8. *LRN?
Command Format:
*LRN?
Function:
The command queries the system settings. The query returns the data of
system settings in the form of a self-defined character string which could be
downloaded to do the same settings in the future.

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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9. *OPC?
Command Format:
*OPC?
Function:
The command queries whether the command operation has been completed.
Return Format:
The query returns 0 or 1. 1 means operation has been completed, 0 means not.
10. :SINGLE
Command Format:
:SINGLE
Function:
The command sets the trigger mode as Single trigger, means that collect a
waveform when detect a trigger signal, then stop running.

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Keyboard Commands
Keyboard Commands are used to control the keys and knobs on the operation panel
of DS1000B.
Keyboard Commands include:
:KEY:LOCK
:KEY:FUNC_Z
:KEY:RUN
:KEY:FUNC_INC
:KEY:AUTO
:KEY:FUNC_DEC
:KEY:SINGLe
:KEY:CH1_VOLT_INC
:KEY:CH1
:KEY:CH1_VOLT_DEC
:KEY:CH2
:KEY:CH1_VOLT_Z
:KEY:CH3
:KEY:CH1_POS_INC
:KEY:CH4
:KEY:CH1_POS_DEC
:KEY:MATH
:KEY:CH1_POS_Z
:KEY:REF
:KEY:CH2_VOLT_INC
:KEY:F1
:KEY:CH2_VOLT_DEC
:KEY:F2
:KEY:CH2_VOLT_Z
:KEY:F3
:KEY:CH2_POS_INC
:KEY:F4
:KEY:CH2_POS_DEC
:KEY:F5
:KEY:CH2_POS_Z
:KEY:MNUoff
:KEY:CH3_VOLT_INC
:KEY:MEASure
:KEY:CH3_VOLT_DEC
:KEY:CURSor
:KEY:CH3_VOLT_Z
:KEY:ACQuire
:KEY:CH3_POS_INC
:KEY:DISPlay
:KEY:CH3_POS_DEC
:KEY:STORage
:KEY:CH3_POS_Z
:KEY:UTILity
:KEY:CH4_VOLT_INC
:KEY:MNUTIME
:KEY:CH4_VOLT_DEC
:KEY:TrigMENU
:KEY:CH4_VLOT_Z
:KEY:Trig%50
:KEY:CH4_POS_INC
:KEY:TrigMODE
:KEY:CH4_POS_DEC
:KEY:TrigFORCe
:KEY:CH4_POS_Z
:KEY:HELP
:KEY:TIME_INC
:KEY:QUICKMEASure
:KEY:TIME_DEC
:KEY:QUICKPRINt
:KEY:TIME_Z

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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:KEY:TIME_POS_INC
:KEY:TRIG_LEVEL_INC
:KEY:TIME_POS_DEC
:KEY:TRIG_LEVEL_DEC
:KEY:TIME_POS_Z
:KEY:TRIG_LEVEL_Z

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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1. :KEY:LOCK
Command Format:
:KEY:LOCK□{ ENABle | DISable }
Function:
The command enables and disables the function of Remote control on the keys
of front panel.
Query Format:
:KEY:LOCK?
Return Format:
The query returns ENABLE or DISABLE.
Example:
:KEY:LOCK□ENABle Enable remote control on the keys of front panel .
:KEY:LOCK? Return ENABLE.
2. :KEY:RUN
Command Format:
:KEY:RUN
Function:
This command controls the running state of the oscilloscope. The oscilloscope
will cutover between RUN and STOP when sending this command continually.
3. :KEY:AUTO
Command Format:
:KEY:AUTO
Function:
The command sets oscilloscope automatically to display the waveform to be
optimal condition.
4. :KEY:SINGLe
Command Format:
:KEY:SINGLe

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Function:
The command sets the trigger mode as Single trigger.
5. :KEY:CH1
Command Format:
:KEY:CH1
Function:
The command sets channel 1 and its menu on or off.
6. :KEY:CH2
Command Format:
:KEY:CH2
Function:
The command sets channel 2 and its menu on or off.
7. :KEY:CH3
Command Format：
:KEY:CH3
Function:
The command sets channel 3 and its menu on or off.
8. :KEY:CH4
Command Format：
:KEY:CH4
Function:
The command sets channel 4 and its menu on or off.
9. :KEY:MATH
Command Format：
:KEY:MATH

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Function:
The command sets Math function amd its menu on or off.
10. :KEY:REF
Command Format:
:KEY:REF
Function:
The command sets reference waveform function and its menu on or off.
11. :KEY:F1
Command Format:
:KEY:F1
Function:
The command selects the first option in current menu. If the subordinate menu
existing and its options are available, then these options could be selected
circularly when send repeatly the command.
12. :KEY:F2
Command Format:
:KEY:F2
Function:
The command selects the second option in current menu. If the subordinate
menu existing and its options are available, then these options could be selected
circularly when send repeatly the command.
13. :KEY:F3
Command Format:
:KEY:F3
Function:
The command selects the third option in current menu. If the subordinate menu
existing and its options are available, then these options could be selected
circularly when send repeatly the command

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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14. :KEY:F4
Command Format:
:KEY:F4
Function:
The command selects the fourth option in current menu. If the subordinate
menu existing and its options are available, then these options could be selected
circularly when send repeatly the command
15. :KEY:F5
Command Format:
:KEY:F5
Function:
The command selects the fifth option in current menu. If the subordinate menu
existing and its options are available, then these options could be selected
circularly when send repeatly the command
16. :KEY:MNUoff
Command Format:
:KEY:MNUoff
Function:
The command sets menu display function on or off.
17. :KEY:MEASure
Command Format:
:KEY:MEASure
Function:
The command sets measurement function and its menu on or off.
18. :KEY:CURSor
Command Format:
:KEY:CURSor

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Programming Guide for DS1000B Series
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Function:
The command sets cursor measurement function and its menu on or off. The
cursor mode can be set by sending the command continually.
19. :KEY:ACQuire
Command Format:
:KEY:ACQuire
Function:
The command sets acquire menu on or off.
20. :KEY:DISPlay
Command Format:
:KEY:DISPLAY
Function:
The command sets display menu on or off.
21. :KEY:STORage
Command Format:
:KEY:STORage
Function:
The command sets storage menu on or off.
22. :KEY:UTILity
Command Format:
:KEY:UTILITY
Function:
The command sets utility menu on or off.
23. :KEY:MNUTIME
Command Format:
:KEY:MNUTIME