Section 7: Introduction to TSP operation Model 2461 Interactive SourceMeter® Instrument Reference Manual7-4 2461-901-01 A/November 2015Fundamentals of scripting for TSPThough it can improve your process to use scripts, you do not have to create scripts to use theinstrument. Most of the examples in the documentation can be run by sending individual commandmessages. The next few sections of the documentation describe scripting and programming featuresof the instrument. You only need to review this information if you are using scripting andprogramming.Scripting helps you combine commands into a block of code that the instrument can run. Scripts helpyou communicate with the instrument more efficiently.Scripts offer several advantages compared to sending individual commands from the host controller(computer):• Scripts are easier to save, refine, and implement than individual commands.• The instrument performs more quickly and efficiently when it processes scripts than it does whenit processes individual commands.• You can incorporate features such as looping and branching into scripts.• Scripts allow the controller to perform other tasks while the instrument is running a script,enabling some parallel operation.• Scripts eliminate repeated data transfer times from the controller.In the instrument, the Test Script Processor (TSP® ) scripting engine processes and runs scripts.This section describes how to create, load, modify, and run scripts.What is a script?A script is a collection of instrument control commands and programming statements. Scripts that youcreate are referred to as user scripts.Your scripts can be interactive. Interactive scripts display messages on the front panel of theinstrument that prompt the operator to enter parameters.
