Download Vortex 6000 Laser Controller

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For IEEE-488, the Status Byte is very important to successful
communication with the StableWave/Vortex. The Message
Available (MAV) bit in the Status Byte indicates whether or not data
is waiting in the output buffer. Always check that the MAV bit is set
before reading back information. If the output buffer is empty, the
read will fail.
The best way to check the Status Byte is to use a serial poll. A serial poll
returns the same information as the *STB? query, but it bypasses the output
buffer (the Vortex places the *STB? response in the output queue and it can’t
be read until all other responses are read).
The RS-232 interface does not support serial polling, so you would have to
use the *STB? command to query the Status Byte. However, since the Vortex
sends RS-232 responses and errors directly, without using the output buffer,
there is rarely, if ever, a reason to read the output buffer.
7000/6000 Series
Computer Control • 35