What do I need to synchronize my oscilloscope data acquisition with my program when I try to get waveform data?

What do I need to synchronize my oscilloscope data acquisition with my program when I try to get waveform data?

Use synchronization to ensure that the acquisition process is completed before you proceed to the next task. Synchronization helps assure you of acquiring the data you want to acquire. Three common forms of synchronization methods use the *OPC, *SRQ, or BUSY commands. *OPC and BUSY use polling that require your program to loop through repeated queries of the scope state. The SRQ method directs the scope to interrupt the application program rather than rely on repetitive polling. While the SRQ method is more difficult to program, it typically provides you with the most effective approach for programming multiple instrument systems.

*OPC: great for single scope applications.

*SRQ: great for multiple instrument networks. OPCtends to take up too much time in a multiple instrument setup.

BUSY: easy to program, but inefficient.

Refer to your scope’s GPIB Programming Guide for more details on each synchronization method.