:INSTrument:NSELectset / query
SCPI COMMAND REFERENCE
The Tektronix PS2520G is Tektronix's power supply in the PS2520G / PS2521G Programmable Power Supplies family. Its SCPI remote-control interface exposes 60 commands across 8 subsystems - 27 settable and 33 queries - and every command is documented here with its parameters, accepted values, return format, and a copy-paste PyVISA example for automating test and measurement.
60
Commands
27
Settable
33
Queries
8
Subsystems
SCPI
Verified
2026-07-16
All commands
60 of 60 commands
:INSTrument[:SELect]set / query
:INSTrument:COUPle:TRACkingset / query
Selects independent, parallel-tracking, or series-tracking mode.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| mode | enum | INDependent | PARallel | SERies | Tracking mode to select. |
Returns the actual output current.
real (A) - Returns the actual output current.
Returns the voltage setting as a DC voltage measurement.
real (V) - Returns the present voltage setting.
Measures the present DC current. This is the query form of the current measurement command.
real - The measured DC current.
:OUTPut:PROTection:CLEarset / query
Clears the overcurrent protection state.
:OUTPut[:STATe]set / query
Sets the output state on or off.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| stateopt | enum | ON | OFF | Turns the output on or off. |
Returns the contents of the Operation Condition register. The value reflects the current condition state of the operation status system.
integer - Contents of the Operation Condition register.
:STATus:OPERation:ENABleset / query
Returns the condition of the Instrument Condition register in the Status Register Operation group.
integer - Returns a number from 0 to 255 indicating the decimal value of the binary bits of the Instrument Condition register.
:STATus:OPERation:INSTrument:ENABleset / query
Enables instrument status reporting bits in the Operation Status register. The returned value is the decimal representation of the binary bits of the ESER.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| enable | integer | 0 - 255 | Decimal value of the binary bits to enable in the ESER. |
Returns and clears the contents of the Standard Event Status Register (SESR).
integer - A number from 0 to 255 indicating the decimal value of the binary bits of the SESR.
Returns the condition summary for the specified instrument status operation summary register. The <n> suffix selects which summary is queried.
integer - Returns an integer summary value for the selected instrument status operation summary condition.
:STATus:PRESetset / query
Returns the questionable condition register value.
integer - Returns the questionable condition register value.
:STATus:QUEStionable:ENABleset / query
Returns the present state of the questionable instrument condition register.
integer - The present questionable instrument condition register value.
:STATus:QUEStionable:INSTrument:ENABleset / query
Enables or disables the questionable instrument status summary. The related power-on/reset state table shows the instrument status enable state is ON after *RST.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| state | enum | ON | OFF | Turns the questionable instrument status summary on or off. |
Returns the present state of the questionable status register. The optional event suffix is shown in the syntax.
integer - Returns the questionable status register value.
Returns the state of the instrument summary questionable condition register. The `<n>` suffix selects the summary number.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | integer | 0 - 2 | Summary number to query. |
integer - Returns the questionable instrument summary condition value for the selected summary number.
Returns the current state of the questionable instrument event register.
integer - Returns the current questionable instrument event register value.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | integer | - | |
| enable | enum | ON | OFF |
Returns the present setting of the questionable instrument summary for the specified summary number, or the event status if the optional :EVENt suffix is used. This is a query form of the instrument questionable status summary command.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | integer | - | Summary number selector. |
| eventopt | - | - | Optional event subnode. |
returns
Sets or returns the contents of the OPERation Enable Register. Only bits 0 through 14 are used; bit 15 is always 0.
integer - Returns the contents of the OPERation Enable Register.
STATus:OPERation:ENABle 32767 STATus:OPERation:ENABle?
Sets or queries the OPERation INSTrument enable register. The query returns the current register value as a decimal number.
integer - Returns the current contents of the OPERation INSTrument enable register as a decimal value.
Sets or returns the contents of the OPERation INSTrument ISUMmary<n> Enable Register. Only bits 0 through 14 are used; bit 15 always reads 0.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRf | integer | 0 - 32767 | Enable-register value. |
STATus:OPERation:INSTrument:ISUMmary1:ENABle 32767 sets all 15 bits of the register high. STATus:OPERation:INSTrument:ISUMmary1:ENABle? returns 0 if all 15 bits of the register are low.
Sets or queries the enable register for the questionable instrument status subsystem. The query returns the current 15-bit register value as a decimal integer.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| <NR1> | integer | 0 - 32767 | Positive integer value written to the enable register. |
integer - Current value of the questionable instrument enable register.
STATus:QUEStionable:INSTrument:ENABle 32767 sets all 15 bits of the register high. STATus:QUESTionable:INSTrument:ENABle? returns 0 if all 15 bits of the register are low.
Sets or returns the contents of the enable register for the Questionable Instrument ISUMmary<n> event register. Only bits 0 through 14 are used; bit 15 always reads 0.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| <NR1> | integer | 0 - 32767 | Positive integer value written to the enable register. |
integer - Returns the decimal value of the enable register contents.
STATus:QUEStionable:INSTrument:ISUMmary<n>:ENABle 32767 STATus:QUESTionable:INSTrument:ISUMmary<n>:ENABle?
Controls which types of events are summarized by the QUES status bit in the status byte register. Use the corresponding set command to write the register and this query to read it.
integer - Returns the contents of the Questionable Enable register.
*IDN?query
Returns the unique identification code of the power supply.
string - Returns the unique identification code of the power supply.
*OPC?query
Tells the power supply to place an ASCII 1 in the output queue when all pending operations have completed.
integer - Returns 1 when the operation completes.
*TST?query
Tests the instrument's RAM, ROM, DAC, and ADC components.
integer - Returns 0 if the test is successful, or 1 if the test fails.
*CLSset / query
Clears the event registers. The manual notes that event registers latch false-to-true condition changes until read, and this command clears them.
*STB?query
Reads the contents of the Status Byte Register (SBR). Reading the SBR does not clear its bits; bit 6 is MSS when obtained from *STB? and RQS when obtained by serial poll.
integer - Status byte register value, with bits summarizing the status of the other registers and queues.
*ESR?query
Reads the SESR and clears its bits so the register can accumulate information about new events.
integer - The SESR contents as a bit-coded status register value.
*OPCset / query
Sets the OPC bit in the SESR when all pending operations have completed. The bit is set following an *OPC command.
*ESEset / query
Sets the bits in the Event Status Enable Register (ESER).
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| value | integer | 0 - 255 | Bit pattern to load into the ESER. |
*ESE?query
Reads the Event Status Enable Register (ESER). The query returns the current register contents.
integer - The current ESER value.
*SREset / query
Sets the Service Request Enable Register (SRER). The SRER bits correspond to the bits of the SBR.
*SRE?query
Reads the Service Request Enable Register (SRER). The SRER bits correspond to the bits of the SBR.
integer - The current SRER value.
*RSTset / query
*STBset / query
Sets the status byte. This command is listed in the index only; no syntax or functional details are provided in the slice.
*TSTset / query
Performs an internal self-test. The command is listed in the index only; no syntax or result details are provided in this slice.
*WAIset / query
Waits until all pending operations are complete before subsequent commands are processed.
Sets the overcurrent protection on or off. The query form returns the state of the overcurrent protection as either on or off.
enum - Returns the state of the overcurrent protection as either on or off.
SOURce:CURRent:PROTect:STATe OFF SOURce:CURRent:PROTect:STATe? returns 1 if the overcurrent protection is on.
[SOURce:]CURRent[:PROTection:STATe]set / query
Sets whether current protection state is enabled. The command is part of the current protection subsystem.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| state | enum | ON | OFF | Enables or disables current protection state. |
Sets the voltage limit of the power supply. The query form returns the voltage limit setting.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| voltage | real | 0 - 37.00 | Voltage limit value for the output; on PS2520G Output 1 and 2 accept 0 to 37.00 V, and Output 3 accepts 0 to 6.50 V. |
| qualifieropt | enum | MAXimum | MINimum | Allows setting the voltage limit to the maximum or minimum value instead of a numeric level. |
real (V) - Returns the voltage limit setting.
SOURce:VOLTage 3.5 sets the voltage limit to 3.5 volts. SOURce:VOLTage? returns 0.200E+1 if the voltage limit setting is 2 volts.
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:PROTection[:LEVel]]set / query
Sets the voltage protection level. This command is part of the source voltage subsystem.
| Name | Type | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| level | real | - | Protection level for the source voltage. |
:SYSTem:AUTOset / query
:SYSTem:ERRor?query
Returns the contents of the status error register. The command is query-only and reading the register does not affect its contents.
string - Returns the current error message or register contents.
:SYSTem:VERSion?query
Returns the software version number of the instrument.
string - Returns the version number as a string.
:SYSTem:AUTO?query
Sets or returns the automatic sequence setting.
enum - Returns the automatic sequence setting as 0 or 1.
:SYSTem:ERRorset / query
Returns the next error from the system error queue. If the queue is empty, the command returns no error.
string - Returns the next error message from the system error queue; when no error is present, no error is returned.