Keithley 6517B Reference Manual

Model 6517B Electrometer Reference Manual Section 11: Remote operations
6517B-901-01 Rev. C / August 2015 11-13
Short-form rules
The following rules can be used to determine the short-form version of any SCPI command or
parameter:
1. If the length is four letters or less, there is no short-form version. Example:
:auto = :auto
2. The following rules apply to words that exceed four letters:
a. If the fourth letter of the word is a vowel, delete it and all the letters after it. Example:
:immediate = :imm
b. If the fourth letter of the word is a consonant, retain it but drop all the letters after it. Example:
:output = :outp
3. If there is a question mark (?; query) or a non-optional number included in the command word,
it must be included in the short- form version. Examples:
:delay? = :del? :layer2 = :lay2
4. As previously explained, command words or characters that are enclosed in brackets ([]) are
optional and need not be included in the program message.
Program messages
A program message is made up of one or more command words sent by the computer to the
instrument. Each common command is simply a three letter acronym preceded by an asterisk (*).
SCPI commands are categorized into subsystems and are structured as command paths. The
following command paths are contained in the :STATus subsystem and are used to help explain how
command words are structured to formulate program messages.
:STATus
Path (Root)
:OPERation
Path
:PTRansition <NRf>
Command and parameter
:NTRansition <NRf>
Command and parameter
:ENABle <NRf>
Command and parameter
:PRESet
Command
Single command messages
There are three levels to the above command structure. The first level is made up of the root
command (:STATus) and serves as a path. The second level is made up of another path
(:OPERation) and a command (:PRESet). The third path is made up of three commands for the
:OPERation path. The four commands in this structure can be executed by sending four separate
program messages as follows:
:stat:oper:ptr <NRf>
:stat:oper:ntr <NRf>
:stat:oper:enab <NRf> :stat:pres
In each of the above program messages, the path pointer starts at the root command (:stat) and
moves down the command levels until the command is executed.

Keithley 6517B Specifications

General

Brand	Keithley
Model	6517B
Category	Measuring Instruments
Language	English