5.7. INITiate

SCPI command

Description

INITiate

[:IMMediate]

Completes one full trigger cycle

:DLOG {<filename>}

Initiates automated internal data log session

:TRACe {<filename>}

:CONTinuous {<bool>}

Enables/disables continuous transient triggers

Syntax

INITiate[:IMMediate]

Description

The INITiate command is used to initialize the trigger system of the BB3. This command completes one full trigger cycle when the trigger source is an IMMediate and initiates the trigger subsystem when the trigger source is BUS.

For example, when the IMMediate is selected as a trigger source, an INITiate command

immediately transfers the VOLTage:TRIGgered[:AMPLitude] and CURRent:TRIGgered[:AMPLitude] values to VOLTage[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] and CURRent[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] values. Any delay is ignored.

Execution of this command also affects bit 5 (Waiting for TRIGger) of the Operation Instrument Isummary register (see Section 3.3.2).

Usage example

Generate a trigger operation after 5 seconds:

TRIG:SOUR BUS

TRIG:DEL 5

INIT

*TRG

Errors

-213,"Init ignored"

307,"List lengths are not equivalent"

308,"Cannot be changed while transient trigger is initiated"

309,"Cannot initiate while in fixed mode"

Related Commands

*TRG

INSTrument:COUPle:TRIGger

Syntax

INITiate:DLOG {<filename>}

Description

The command starts automated internal data logging session. All selected measurements defined with SENSe:DLOG:FUNCtion:CURRent, SENSe:DLOG:FUNCtion:POWer and SENSe:DLOG:FUNCtion:VOLTage commands will be recorded periodically in the specified log filename that is formatted as described below. The data logging session will last until time specified with the SENSe:DLOG:TIME not expired or is not interrupted prematurely using the e.g. ABORt:DLOG, SYSTem:REStart or *RST command.

Log file format

Data log structure allows recording of multiple values simultaneously that can be also viewed simultaneously on the same X-Y graph as in case of e.g. curve tracer when each Y-axis data set (column) represents one trace. This minimizes the required size of the data log file because the X-axis content is common for multiple values to be displayed on the Y-axis.

Data log file contains fixed header, flexible header and data section.

Fixed header

The fixed header includes the following information in little-endian format, i.e. the least significant byte (LSB) value is at the lowest address:

Position

Type

Description

0 – 7

ASCII

Always contains “EEZ-DLOG” text in ASCII format

8 – 9

UINT16

File format version (e.g. 0x00 0x02)

10 – 11

UINT16

Number of columns

12 – 15

UINT32

File offset to data rows

Flexible header

The flexible header contains meta information about data that follows. The number of fields defined in the flexible header is arbitrary (hence the name flexible header) formatted as follows:

<Field 1 length><Field 1 ID><Field 1 data>

<Field 2 length><Field 2 ID><Field 2 data>

<Field 3 length><Field 3 ID><Field 3 data>

…

<Field N length><Field N ID><Field N data>

Name

Length

Description

Field length

UINT16

Total length of the field.

Field ID

UINT8

Field unique identification number (see below the list of currently supported fields).

Field data

For example if the <Field ID> is 14 or "X-axis label", then the field is of type String. Text string begins with UINT16 that contains its length, followed by length * UINT8 data.

Field data as specified below in the list of currently supported fields.

List of currently supported fields:

ID

Name

Data type

Description

1

Comment

String

Data log user comment. Max. length is 128 characters.

10

Unit

UINT8

0 – Unknown

1 – Volt

3 – Ampere

6 – Watt

8 – Second

12 – Ohm

16 – Hertz

17 – Joule/Ws

21 – Farad

11

X-axis step

Float

X-axis resolution in units as specified in ID10. For example, if X-axis unit is 8 (seconds), when period of data logger is set to 20 ms this field will contains 0.02.

12

X-axis range min value

Float

X-axis minimal or starting value which is 0 in most of the cases.

13

X-axis range max value

Float

X-axis maximal or ending value.

14

X-axis label

String

X-axis data description

15

X-axis scale

UINT8

0 – Linear

1 – Logarithmic

30

Y-axis unit

UINT8 + UINT8

First UINT8 value specifies column number and second UINT8 contains Y-axis unit similar as X-axis unit specified under ID10.

32

Y-axis range min value

UINT8 + Float

UINT8 value specifies column number followed by minimum recorded value.

33

Y-axis range max value

UINT8 + Float

UINT8 value specifies column number followed by maximum recorded value. For example for uncoupled DCP405 module that will be 40 V and 5 A or for coupled in series or parallel 80 V or 10 A. This parameter is used by Auto-scale option in BB3 built-in log viewer.

34

Y-axis label

UINT8 + String

UINT8 value specifies column number followed by Y-axis data description. This field is optional and if its value is not defined, the data log viewer (e.g. BB3 built-in viewer) could generate it from the channel number and unit symbol, for example: U1 for recorded voltage on the channel 1.

35

Y-axis channel

UINT8 + UINT8

First UINT8 value specifies column number and second UINT8 contains instrument channel that is recorded

36

Y-axis scale

UINT8 + UINT8

Similar to X-axis scale: first UINT8 value specifies column number and second UINT8 can contains:

0 – Linear

1 – Logarithmic

50

Channel module type

UINT8 + UINT16

UINT8 value specifies channel number, and UINT16 contains module type ID as follows:

220 – DCM220

405 – DCP405

51

Channel revision

UINT8 + UINT16

UINT8 value specifies channel number, and UINT16 contains module version number, for example 0x0206 for “R2B6”.

Logged data

For the each X-axis step the series of Y values (columns) are recorded. All Y values are of type float.

<Y1 value><Y2 value>…<Yn value>

<Y1 value><Y2 value>…<Yn value>

…

This command will automatically set the following fields:

• X-axis unit = 8
• X-axis step = SENSe:DLOG:PERiod?
• X-axis range min = 0
• X-axis range max = SENSe:DLOG:TIME?

For example when voltage and current are logged for channel 1 and 2 on two DCP405 modules, additional fields will be populated as follows:

• Y1-axis unit = <1><1>
• Y1-axis range min = 1 + SOUR1:VOLT? MIN
• Y1-axis range max = 1 + SOUR1:VOLT? MAX
• Y1-axis channel index = 1
• Y2-axis unit = <2><3>
• Y2-axis range min = 2 + SOUR1:CURR? MIN
• Y2-axis range max = 2 + SOUR1:CURR? MAX
• Y2-axis channel index = 1
• Y3-axis unit = <3><1>
• Y3-axis range min = 3 + SOUR2:VOLT? MIN
• Y3-axis range max = 3 + SOUR2:VOLT? MAX
• Y3-axis channel index = 2
• Y4-axis unit = <4><3>
• Y4-axis range min = 4 + SOUR2:CURR? MIN
• Y4-axis range max = 4 + SOUR2:CURR? MAX
• Y4-axis channel index = 2
• Channel 1 module type = “405”
• Channel 1 module revision = “207”
• Channel 2 module type = “405”
• Channel 2 module revision = “207”

Parameters

Name

Type

Range

Default

<filename>

Quoted string

File name, either / (slash) or \ (backslash) can be used as the path separator. 1 to 255 characters

–

Usage example

Start data logging of channel 1 voltage and current with resolution of 0.1 seconds that lasts 60 seconds:

SENS:DLOG:PER 0.1

SENS:DLOG:TIME 60

SENS:DLOG:FUNC:VOLT ON, CH1

SENS:DLOG:FUNC:CURR ON, CH1

INIT:DLOG "Recordings/test_log.dlog"

Related Commands

*RST

ABORt:DLOG

DISPlay[:WINdow]:DLOG

INITiate:DLOG:TRACe

MMEMory:INFOrmation?

SENSe:DLOG:FUNCtion:CURRent

SENSe:DLOG:FUNCtion:POWer

SENSe:DLOG:FUNCtion:VOLTage

SENSe:DLOG:PERiod

SENSe:DLOG:TIME

Syntax

INITiate:DLOG:TRACe {<filename>}

Description

The command starts internal data logging session. Single X-axis and multiple Y-axis are allowed as in case on the INITiate:DLOG:TRACe command, but offering more flexibility in defining recording parameters. The duration of data logging is not defined in advance and new data can be added until termination command is not executed e.g. ABORt:DLOG, SYSTem:REStart or *RST command.

Parameters

Name

Type

Range

Default

<filename>

Quoted string

File name, either / (slash) or \ (backslash) can be used as the path separator. 1 to 255 characters

–

Usage example

Data logging is a four step process as follows:

1. Define X- and Y-axis parameters. Number of Y-axis is arbitrary and two is used in this example. Data log file remark is not mandatory.

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:X:UNIT SECO

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:X:STEP 0.01

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:X:RANG:MIN 0

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:X:RANG:MAX 20

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:X:LAB "t"

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y1:UNIT VOLT

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y1:LAB "U"

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y1:RANG:MIN 0

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y1:RANG:MAX 40

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y2:UNIT AMPE

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y2:LAB "I"

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y2:RANG:MIN 0

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y2:RANG:MAX 5

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:X:SCAL LIN

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:Y:SCAL LIN

2. Define data log filename and comment/description.

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:REM "data log test"

INIT:DLOG:TRAC "Recordings/test_log.dlog"

3. Add arbitrary number of recordings:

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:DATA 10.1,2.55

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:DATA 12.0,2.66

SENS:DLOG:TRAC:DATA 16.34,3.63

…

4. Close data logging session.

ABOR:DLOG

Related Commands

*RST

ABORt:DLOG

DISPlay[:WINdow]:DLOG

INITiate:DLOG

MMEMory:INFOrmation?

SENSe:DLOG:TRACe:REMark

SYSTem:REStart

Syntax

INITiate:CONTinuous {<bool>}

INITiate:CONTinuous?

Description

This command is used to select whether the trigger system is continuously initiated or not. With CONTinuous set to OFF, the trigger system remain in the IDLE state until CONTinuous is set to ON or INITiate:IMMediate is received.

Once CONTinuous is set to ON, the trigger system will be initiated and exit the IDLE state. On completion of each trigger cycle, with CONTinuous ON, the trigger system immediately commence another trigger cycle without entering the IDLE state.

When INITiate:CONTinuous is set to OFF, the current trigger cycle will be completed before entering the IDLE state. The return to IDLE also occur as the result of an ABORt or *RST command.

The ABORt command force the trigger system to the IDLE state; however, the value of INITiate:CONTinuous is unaffected.

If INITiate:CONTinuous was set to ON prior to receiving ABORt, it remains ON and the trigger system immediately exit the IDLE state.

Parameters

Name

Type

Range

Default

<bool>

Boolean

OFF|ON|0|1

OFF

Return

The query command returns 0 if continuous transients are disabled (OFF), and 1 if continuous transients are enabled (ON).

Usage example

INIT:CONT ON

Related Commands

*RST

ABORt