Tutorial

Using Triggers to Change Settings

You can use triggers to synchronize the setting of the voltage and current. This is convenient if you want to synchronize output changes with the action of other instruments such as electronic loads. To reserve triggered settings, use the VOLTage:TRIGgered and CURRent:TRIGgered commands.

 

:VOLTage 12.0    'Set the voltage to 12.0 V

:CURRent 1.5    'Set the current to 1.5 A

 

:VOLTage:TRIGgered 13.5    'Set the PWX so that the voltage is 13.5 V when triggered

:CURRent:TRIGgered 2.5    'Set the PWX so that the current is 2.5 A when triggered

 

:TRIGger:TRANsient:SOURce BUS    'Set the trigger source to BUS

 

:INITiate:TRANsient    'Initiate

:TRIGger:TRANsient    'Apply a software trigger

The TRIGger:TRANSient:SOURce command sets the trigger source to BUS or IMMediate. The INITiate:TRANsient command makes the trigger subsystem leave the IDLE state and enter the initiated state. When the Trigger Source is set to IMMediate, the transient action is executed immediately, which causes the voltage or current or both to change to a new setting. When the Trigger Source is set to BUS, the trigger subsystem enters the WTG (Waiting For Trigger) state.

If the trigger subsystem is in the WTG state and a software trigger is applied with the TRIGger or *TRG command, the transient action is executed. The TRIGger and *TRG commands apply a software trigger to all channels, so if there are other channels that are in the INITiated state, their settings will be changed at the same time. When the operation is completed, the trigger subsystem returns to the IDLE state again. When an ABORt command or an equivalent command is sent without executing the trigger, the transient action is canceled, and then the trigger subsystem returns to the IDLE state.

When the PWX is turned on, all the TRIGger subsystems are in the IDLE state. In this state, the TRIGger subsystem ignores all triggers. If you send one of the following commands, the TRIGger subsystem is switched to the IDLE state, regardless of its current state.

:ABORt

*RST

Device clear (GPIB or USB interface) or break signal (RS232 interface)

Operation using a software trigger

The PWX can synchronize the output changes using triggers.

When ABOR is sent, INIT:TRAN is cancelled. The VOLT:TRIG setting does not change.

The following table shows the responses when the voltage is set to 20 V (VOLT 20) and when the target value to which the voltage will change when a trigger is received is set to 10 V (VOLT:TRIG 10).

 

	Response
	VOLT?	VOLT:TRIG?
Immediately after the setting is made.	20	10
After a trigger is sent.	10	10
After *RST is sent.	0	0
When ABOR is sent before sending a trigger.	20	20 (cancel)
When "VOLT 30" (to change the voltage) is sent before sending a trigger.	30	30 (cancel)

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