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Agilent N5161A/62A/81A/82A/83A MXG Signal Generators User’s Guide 313
Troubleshooting
Error Messages
Error Messages
Error Message Types
Events do not generate more than one type of error. For example, an event that generates a query
error does not generate a device–specific, execution, or command error.
Query Errors (–499 to –400) indicate that the instrument’s output queue control has detected a
problem with the message exchange protocol described in IEEE 488.2, Chapter 6. Errors in this class
set the query error bit (bit 2) in the event status register (IEEE 488.2, section 11.5.1). These errors
correspond to message exchange protocol errors described in IEEE 488.2, 6.5. In this case:
• Either an attempt is being made to read data from the output queue when no output is either
present or pending, or
• data in the output queue has been lost.
Device Specific Errors (–399 to –300, 201 to 703, and 800 to 810) indicate that a device operation
did not properly complete, possibly due to an abnormal hardware or firmware condition. These codes
are also used for self–test response errors. Errors in this class set the device–specific error bit (bit 3)
in the event status register (IEEE 488.2, section 11.5.1).
The <error_message> string for a positive error is not defined by SCPI. A positive error indicates that
the instrument detected an error within the GPIB system, within the instrument’s firmware or
hardware, during the transfer of block data, or during calibration.
Execution Errors (–299 to –200) indicate that an error has been detected by the instrument’s
execution control block. Errors in this class set the execution error bit (bit 4) in the event status
register (IEEE 488.2, section 11.5.1). In this case:
• Either a <PROGRAM DATA> element following a header was evaluated by the device as outside of
its legal input range or is otherwise inconsistent with the device’s capabilities, or
• a valid program message could not be properly executed due to some device condition.
Execution errors are reported after rounding and expression evaluation operations are completed.
Rounding a numeric data element, for example, is not reported as an execution error.
Command Errors (–199 to –100) indicate that the instrument’s parser detected an IEEE 488.2
syntax error. Errors in this class set the command error bit (bit 5) in the event status register (IEEE
488.2, section 11.5.1). In this case:
• Either an IEEE 488.2 syntax error has been detected by the parser (a control–to–device message
was received that is in violation of the IEEE 488.2 standard. Possible violations include a data
element that violates device listening formats or whose type is unacceptable to the device.), or
• an unrecognized header was received. These include incorrect device–specific headers and
incorrect or unimplemented IEEE 488.2 common commands.
Error Message File
A complete list of error messages is provided on the CDROM supplied with the instrument. In the
error message file, an explanation is generally included with each error to further clarify its meaning.
The error messages are listed numerically. In cases where there are multiple listings for the same
error number, the messages are in alphabetical order.