Measurement

What is a Talker on a GPIB bus?

A device that sends data

What is a Listener on a GPIB bus?

A device that receives data

What is the Controller-In-Charge (CIC)?

The device that manages bus operations

How many talkers can exist on a GPIB bus at one time?

One

Can there be multiple listeners on a GPIB bus?

Yes

What does GPIB stand for?

General-Purpose Interface Bus

What was the original name for GPIB?

HPIB

Which company developed HPIB?

Hewlett-Packard

What does IEEE 488.1 define?

Electrical and mechanical bus characteristics

What does IEEE 488.2 define?

Command syntax and communication rules

What does ATE stand for?

Automatic Test Equipment

What is VISA?

Software libraries for instrument communication

Name one bus type supported by VISA

GPIB

What is a GPIB bus identifier example?

gpib0

What does PAD stand for?

Primary Address

What is the PAD address range?

0 to 30

Which PAD is usually assigned to the controller?

0

Which address is reserved for UNT (untalk)?

31

What does SAD stand for?

Secondary Address

When are secondary addresses used?

With chassis containing multiple plug-in modules

What does gpib0::22::instr represent?

Instrument at primary address 22 on GPIB bus 0

What does the ::instr portion indicate?

The resource is an instrument

What does gpib0::10::2::instr identify?

Plug-in module with SAD 2 in a chassis at PAD 10

What is the maximum number of devices on a GPIB bus?

15 including the controller

What is the maximum combined GPIB cable length?

20 meters

Is daisy-chain cabling allowed on GPIB?

Yes

Is star cabling allowed on GPIB?

Yes

Is loop cabling allowed on GPIB?

No

What does SCPI stand for?

Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments

Are SCPI commands case sensitive?

No

What does a colon indicate in a SCPI command?

Move down one level in the command tree

What does a question mark indicate in a SCPI command?

Query

What is a Write command?

Controller sends data to an instrument

What is a Read command?

Controller reads data from an instrument

What is a Query command?

Write followed immediately by Read

What does the *IDN? command return?

Manufacturer, model, serial number, and firmware version

What does *RST do?

Resets instrument settings to defaults

Does *RST clear status registers?

No

What does *CLS do?

Clears status registers and error queue

What is the correct instrument initialization sequence?

*RST followed by *CLS

What does *ESR? query?

Standard Event Status Register

What happens to the ESR after *ESR? is read?

It is cleared

What does SYST:ERR? return when no errors exist?

0, No Error

What does *STB? query?

Status Byte Register

What instrument is commonly used as a GPIB example?

HP 34401A Digital Multimeter

What SCPI command measures AC voltage?

MEAS:VOLT:AC?

What does DEF specify in a SCPI command?

Default or automatic setting

Can short and long SCPI command forms be mixed?

Yes

Do all IEEE 488.2 devices recognize common * commands?

Yes

What happens when the controller sends the UNT (untalk) command?

All devices stop talking and return to talker idle state

What type of devices does SCPI standardize commands for?

Instrument classes such as DMMs, power supplies, and signal generators

In a Write operation, what role does the controller perform?

Talker

In a Read operation, what role does the controller perform?

Listener

What is the purpose of auto-ranging on a digital multimeter?

Automatically select the optimal measurement range

What does the most significant digit (MSD) represent on a DMM display?

The half digit with limited values (0 or 1)

What does 5½-digit resolution mean on a DMM?

Five full digits plus one half digit

What is the meaning of a half digit on a DMM?

A digit that can only display limited values (usually 0 or 1)

What happens if a controller attempts to read from an empty output queue?

A query error occurs

What does the QUERY ERROR (QYE) bit indicate?

A read was attempted when no data was available

Are IEEE 488.2 common commands device specific?

No, all devices must recognize them

What is the difference between PAD and SAD?

PAD identifies the device, SAD identifies modules within a chassis

Can multiple devices share the same primary address on a GPIB bus?

No

What does the POWER ON (PON) bit in the ESR indicate?

The device power was cycled

What does the OPERATION COMPLETE (OPC) bit indicate?

All pending operations have completed

What does a colon-separated SCPI command represent?

Navigation down the command hierarchy tree

What happens to status bits after *ESR? is executed?

They are cleared after being read

Does *CLS reset instrument configuration settings?

No

What command resets instrument settings to defaults?

*RST

What does the controller usually do immediately after *RST?

Send *CLS