fread

Read binary data from instrument

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Syntax

A = fread(obj)
A = fread(obj,size)
A = fread(obj,size,precision)
[A,count] = fread(___)
[A,count,msg] = fread(___)
[A,count,msg,datagramaddress] = fread(obj,___)
[A,count,msg,datagramaddress,datagramport] = fread(obj,___)

Description

A = fread(obj) and A = fread(obj,size) read binary data from the instrument connected to obj, and returns the data to A. The maximum number of values to read is specified by size. If size is not specified, the maximum number of values to read is determined by the object's InputBufferSize property. Valid options for size are:

  • n — Read at most n values into a column vector.

  • [m,n] — Read at most m-by-n values filling an m-by-n matrix in column order.

size cannot be inf, and an error is returned if the specified number of values cannot be stored in the input buffer. You specify the size, in bytes, of the input buffer with the InputBufferSize property. A value is defined as a byte multiplied by the precision argument (see below).

If obj is a UDP object and DatagramTerminateMode is off, the size value is honored. If size is less than the length of the datagram, only size values are read. If size is greater than the length of the datagram, a warning is issued stating that a complete datagram was read before size values was reached.

A = fread(obj,size,precision) reads binary data with precision specified by precision.

precision controls the number of bits read for each value and the interpretation of those bits as integer, floating-point, or character values. If precision is not specified, uchar (an 8-bit unsigned character) is used. By default, numeric values are returned in double-precision arrays. The supported values for precision are listed below in Tips.

[A,count] = fread(___) returns the number of values read to count.

[A,count,msg] = fread(___) returns a warning message to msg if the read operation was unsuccessful.

[A,count,msg,datagramaddress] = fread(obj,___) returns the datagram address to datagramaddress if obj is a UDP object. If more than one datagram is read, datagramaddress is ''.

[A,count,msg,datagramaddress,datagramport] = fread(obj,___) returns the datagram port to datagramport if obj is a UDP object. If more than one datagram is read, datagramport is [].

Input Arguments

obj

An interface object.

size

The number of values to read.

precision

The number of bits read for each value, and the interpretation of the bits as character, integer, or floating-point values.

Output Arguments

A

Binary data returned from the instrument.

count

The number of values read.

msg

A message indicating if the read operation was unsuccessful.

datagramaddress

The address of the datagram sender.

datagramport

The port of the datagram sender.

Tips

  • Before you can read data from the instrument, it must be connected to obj with the fopen function. A connected interface object has a Status property value of open. An error is returned if you attempt to perform a read operation while obj is not connected to the instrument.

  • If msg is not included as an output argument and the read operation was not successful, then a warning message is returned to the command line.

  • The ValuesReceived property value is increased by the number of values read, each time fread is issued.

  • Rules for Completing a Binary Read Operation

    A read operation with fread blocks access to the MATLAB® Command Window until

    • The specified number of values is read. For UDP objects, DatagramTerminateMode must be off.

    • The time specified by the Timeout property passes.

    • A datagram is received (for UDP objects only when DatagramTerminateMode is on).

    • The input buffer is filled.

    • The EOI line is asserted (GPIB and VXI instruments only).

    • The EOSCharCode is received (GPIB and VXI instruments only).

  • More About the GPIB and VXI Terminator

    The EOSCharCode property value is recognized only when the EOSMode property is configured to read or read&write. For example, if EOSMode is configured to read and EOSCharCode is configured to LF, then one of the ways that the read operation terminates is when the line feed character is received.

    If EOSMode is none or write, then there is no terminator defined for read operations. In this case, fread will complete execution and return control to the command when another criterion, such as a timeout, is met.

  • Supported Precisions

    The supported values for the precision argument are listed below.

    Data Type

    Precision

    Interpretation

    Character

    uchar

    8-bit unsigned character

    schar

    8-bit signed character

    char

    8-bit signed or unsigned character

    Integer

    int8

    8-bit integer

    int16

    16-bit integer

    int32

    32-bit integer

    uint8

    8-bit unsigned integer

    uint16

    16-bit unsigned integer

    uint32

    32-bit unsigned integer

    short

    16-bit integer

    int

    32-bit integer

    long

    32- or 64-bit integer

    ushort

    16-bit unsigned integer

    uint

    32-bit unsigned integer

    ulong

    32- or 64-bit unsigned integer

    Floating-point

    single

    32-bit floating point

    float32

    32-bit floating point

    float

    32-bit floating point

    double

    64-bit floating point

    float64

    64-bit floating point

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

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See Also

Functions