Agilent Technologies 3458A User Manual

Chapter 6 Command Reference 153
Introduction
or
OUTPUT 722;"ACV 10,-1"
From remote only, you can use two commas to indicate a default value. For
example, to specify 10 for the first parameter and default the second parameter,
send:
OUTPUT 722;"ACV 10,,"
To default the first parameter (which selects autorange in this example) and
specify .01 for the second parameter, send:
OUTPUT 722; "ACV,,.01"
Query Commands A query command ends with a question mark and returns one or more responses
to a particular question. For example, the ID? query command returns the response
HP 3458A.
Standard Query
Commands
The following standard query commands are documented individually in this
chapter:
AUXERR? LINE?
CALNUM? MCOUNT?
ERR? OPT?
ERRSTR? REV?
ID? SSPARM?
ISCALE? STB?
TEMP?
Additional Query
Commands
In addition to the standard query commands, you can create others by appending
a question mark to any command that can be used to configure or program the
multimeter. (Query commands of this type are not documented individually in
this chapter. Instead, they are combined with the parent command. That is, the
AZERO command page contains information on both AZERO and AZERO?.) As
an example, the AZERO command enables or disables the autozero function. The
possible autozero modes are OFF, ON, or ONCE. You can determine the present
autozero mode by appending a question mark to the AZERO command as shown
in the following program.
10 OUTPUT 722;"AZERO?"
20 ENTER 722;A$
30 PRINT A$
40 END
In the power-on state, the multimeter returns numeric responses to query
commands. For example, the above program might return 1 which is the numeric
query equivalent of the ON parameter. Numeric query equivalents are listed under
each applicable command in this chapter.
For commands that have parameter choices (such as the AZERO command), the
query version of the command returns the presently specified choice (or its
numeric query equivalent). Many commands use actual values specified in
seconds, volts, ohms, etc, instead of parameter choices. For example, the APER

Agilent Technologies 3458A Specifications

General

Brand	Agilent Technologies
Model	3458A
Category	Multimeter
Language	English

Summary

Safety Symbols and Warnings

General Safety Precautions (WARNINGS)

Outlines essential safety precautions for operating, servicing, and repairing the product to prevent injury or damage.

Chapter 2 Getting Started

Operating from the Front Panel

Covers using front panel keys, making measurements, changing functions, and controlling display settings.

Operating from Remote

Explains how to control the multimeter remotely via GPIB, including address management and command sending.

Chapter 3 Configuring for Measurements

General Configuration

Configuring for DC or Resistance Measurements

Details how to configure the multimeter for DC voltage, DC current, and 2-wire or 4-wire resistance measurements.

Configuring for AC Measurements

Explains how to configure the multimeter for AC voltage, AC current, frequency, or period measurements.

Chapter 4 Making Measurements

Triggering Measurements

Explains the three-event triggering hierarchy (arm, trigger, sample) and various event choices.

Using Reading Memory

Sending Readings Across the Bus

Increasing the Reading Rate

Discusses the multimeter's high-speed mode and factors affecting reading rate and transfer speed.

Math Operations

Explains real-time and post-process math operations, enabling/disabling them, and math registers.

Chapter 5 Digitizing

Digitizing Methods

Details DCV, Direct-Sampling, and Sub-sampling methods, summarizing their characteristics and signal paths.

The Sampling Rate

Level Triggering

Describes how to specify voltage and slope for sampling initiation, with examples for DCV and direct-sampling.

DCV Digitizing

Direct-Sampling

Explains direct-sampling using track-and-hold, its bandwidth, and specifying ranges via max._input parameter.

Sub-Sampling

Covers sub-sampling fundamentals, advantages, and how to specify effective interval and number of samples.

Chapter 6 Command Reference

ACAL

Instructs the multimeter to perform self-calibrations (ALL, DCV, AC, OHMS) and discusses autocalibration security.

NRDGS

OFORMAT

PRESET

Configures the multimeter to one of three predefined states: NORM, FAST, or DIG for different operation modes.

SUB

Stores a series of commands as a subprogram, assigning a name for later execution.

TARM

Defines the trigger arm event to enable the trigger event and can be used for multiple measurement cycles.

TEST

Causes the multimeter to perform a series of internal self-tests to check hardware and software integrity.

TRIG

Specifies the trigger event that initiates a measurement, working with TARM and NRDGS.

Chapter 7 BASIC Language for the 3458A

BASIC Language Commands

Subprograms

Explains how to store, execute, and manage BASIC language subprograms for system control and automation.

Appendix B GPIB Commands

TRIGGER (GET)

Appendix C Procedure to Lock Out Front/Rear Terminals and Guard Terminal Switches

Procedure

Outlines the steps for installing the switch lockout kit, including covers and pushrod removal.

Appendix D Optimizing Throughout and Reading Rate

Maximizing the Testing Speed

Covers strategies like tailoring communication paths, program memory, and state storage for optimal testing speed.

DC Volts, DC Current and Resistance

Explains the measurement paths (DCV, track-and-hold) and trade-offs for DC measurements.

AC Volts and AC Current

Details the three ACV measurement techniques (Analog, Synchronous, Random) and their trade-offs.

Frequency and Period

Optimizing the Testing Process Through Task Allocation

Discusses allocating tasks between the DMM and computer using math functions, memory, and program structure.

Math Operations

State Storage and Program Memory

A Benchmark

Appendix E High Resolution Digitizing With the 3458A

Speed with Resolution

Details the multimeter's flexibility in speed and resolution for audio frequency bandwidth.

Digitizing Analog Signals

Avoiding Aliasing

Provides methods to avoid signal distortion caused by aliasing, ensuring accurate waveform representation.

Choice of Two Measurement Paths

Describes the standard DCV path and the track-and-hold path for digitizing and sampling.

Capturing the Data

High Speed Data Transfers

Errors in Measurements