Block data

Block data is a format which is suitable for the transmission of large amounts of data. A block data parameter has the following structure:

#<length_digits><length><data>

Example: FORMat:READings:DATA #45168xxxxxxxx

  • # introduces the data block

  • <length_digits> = 4 means that the following four digits describe the length of the data block

  • <length> = 5168 means that the length of the data block is 5168 bytes.

  • <data> = xxxxxxxx, the 5168 data bytes

During transmission of the data bytes, all end or other control signs are ignored until all bytes are transmitted.

#0 specifies a data block of indefinite length. The use of the indefinite format requires a NL^END message to terminate the data block. This format is useful when the length of the transmission is not known or if speed or other considerations prevent segmentation of the data into blocks of definite length.

Some instruments support the Rohde & Schwarz specific extension #(<length>)data, for example #(3)abc. This form allows to send block data bigger than 999.999.999 bytes.