SCPI Automation Skill

Skill Name: scpi-automation Version: 1.0.0

Purpose

This skill provides patterns for controlling SCPI-enabled test equipment on the HomeLab network.

Allowed Tools

•Read, Write, Edit
•Bash (nc, timeout, network commands)
•Grep, Glob

Equipment Reference

Device	IP	Port	Model	Commands
DMM	10.0.1.101	5025	Keithley DMM6500	SCPI + Keithley extensions
Oscilloscope	10.0.1.106	5555	Rigol MSO8204	SCPI + Rigol extensions
Signal Gen	10.0.1.120	5555	Rigol DG2052	SCPI standard
DC Load	10.0.1.105	5555	Rigol DL3021A	SCPI standard
PSU 1	10.0.1.111	5025	Rigol DP932A	SCPI standard
PSU 2	10.0.1.138	5025	Rigol DP932A	SCPI standard

SCPI Basics

Common Commands (IEEE 488.2)

Command	Description
`*IDN?`	Query instrument identity
`*RST`	Reset to default state
`*CLS`	Clear status
`*OPC?`	Operation complete query
`*WAI`	Wait for operation complete

Query Pattern

bash

# Basic query (using netcat)
echo "*IDN?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.101 5025

# With timeout wrapper
timeout 3 bash -c 'echo "*IDN?" | nc 10.0.1.101 5025'

Command Pattern

bash

# Send command (no response expected)
echo "COMMAND:SETTING VALUE" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.111 5025

# Send command and verify
echo "COMMAND:SETTING VALUE; *OPC?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.111 5025

Device-Specific Patterns

Keithley DMM6500

bash

# Read DC voltage
echo "MEAS:VOLT:DC?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.101 5025

# Read DC current
echo "MEAS:CURR:DC?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.101 5025

# Read resistance
echo "MEAS:RES?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.101 5025

Rigol DP932A (PSU)

bash

# Query output state
echo ":OUTP:STAT? CH1" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.111 5025

# Set voltage
echo ":SOUR:VOLT 5.0,CH1" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.111 5025

# Set current limit
echo ":SOUR:CURR 1.0,CH1" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.111 5025

# Enable output
echo ":OUTP:STAT ON,CH1" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.111 5025

# Measure actual voltage
echo ":MEAS:VOLT? CH1" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.111 5025

Rigol DL3021A (DC Load)

bash

# Set to constant current mode
echo ":SOUR:FUNC CURR" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.105 5555

# Set current
echo ":SOUR:CURR:LEV:IMM 1.0" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.105 5555

# Enable input
echo ":SOUR:INP:STAT ON" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.105 5555

# Measure voltage
echo ":MEAS:VOLT?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.105 5555

Rigol DG2052 (Signal Generator)

bash

# Set frequency
echo ":SOUR1:FREQ 1000" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.120 5555

# Set amplitude
echo ":SOUR1:VOLT 1.0" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.120 5555

# Set waveform
echo ":SOUR1:FUNC SIN" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.120 5555

# Enable output
echo ":OUTP1:STAT ON" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.120 5555

Rigol MSO8204 (Oscilloscope)

bash

# Auto scale
echo ":AUT" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.106 5555

# Set timebase
echo ":TIM:SCAL 0.001" | nc -w 1 10.0.1.106 5555

# Measure frequency on CH1
echo ":MEAS:FREQ? CHAN1" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.106 5555

# Measure Vpp
echo ":MEAS:VPP? CHAN1" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.106 5555

Automation Scripts

Equipment Discovery

bash

#!/bin/bash
# discover-scpi.sh - Find SCPI devices on network

HOSTS="101 105 106 111 120 138"
PORTS="5025 5555"

for host in $HOSTS; do
  for port in $PORTS; do
    result=$(timeout 2 bash -c "echo '*IDN?' | nc 10.0.1.$host $port 2>/dev/null")
    if [ -n "$result" ]; then
      echo "10.0.1.$host:$port - $result"
    fi
  done
done

Measurement Logger

bash

#!/bin/bash
# log-measurement.sh - Log DMM reading with timestamp

TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
READING=$(echo "MEAS:VOLT:DC?" | nc -w 2 10.0.1.101 5025)
echo "$TIMESTAMP,$READING" >> measurements.csv

Safety Rules

•NEVER enable outputs without explicit user confirmation
•ALWAYS verify settings before enabling power outputs
•ALWAYS set current limits before voltage on PSUs
•LOG all commands sent to equipment
•TIMEOUT all network commands (2-3 seconds max)

Error Handling

bash

# Wrapper function for safe SCPI commands
scpi_query() {
  local ip=$1
  local port=$2
  local cmd=$3

  result=$(timeout 3 bash -c "echo '$cmd' | nc $ip $port 2>/dev/null")

  if [ -z "$result" ]; then
    echo "ERROR: No response from $ip:$port"
    return 1
  fi

  echo "$result"
  return 0
}

# Usage
scpi_query 10.0.1.101 5025 "*IDN?"

Future: MCP Integration

When SCPI MCP server is built, it will provide:

•Tool-based equipment access
•Automatic safety checks
•Measurement history
•Equipment state tracking

Resources

•Keithley DMM6500 Programming Manual
•Rigol DP900 Series Programming Guide
•Rigol DL3000 Series Programming Guide
•Rigol DG2000 Series Programming Guide
•Rigol MSO8000 Series Programming Guide