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Data Interfaces

Data Input

SBI Commands (Data Input Format)

The computer connected via the data port can send control commands to the balance to control balance and application program functions.
These control commands may have different formats and contain up to 20 characters. Each of these characters must be sent based on the setup configuration for data transmission.

Formats for Control Commands (Syntax)

Format 1: 

Esc ! CR LF

Format 2: 

Esc ! # _ CR LF

Definitions

  • Esc: Escape
  • !: Command character
  • #: Digit
  • : Parameter (number or letter)
  • _: Underline (ASCII: 95)
  • CR: Carriage return (optional)
  • LF: Line feed (optional)

Examples

  • Format 1: Esc P
  • Format 2: Esc x1_

Overview of SBI Commands

Format Command Action / Function Comments
1 ESC P Print to the interface where the prompt originated Corresponds to menu, with/without stability
1 ESC T “TARE” key taring and zeroing
1 ESC K Filter “Very stable conditions”
1 ESC L Filter “Stable conditions”
1 ESC M Filter “Unstable conditions”
1 ESC N Filter “Very unstable conditions”
1 ESC O Block keys
1 ESC Q Acoustic signal
1 ESC R Unblock keys
1 ESC S Restart
1 ESC Z Internal calibration/adjustment Depending on menu, 1/2 step increments
1 ESC U Tare
1 ESC V Zero
1 ESC W External adjustment with default weight Depending on menu, 1/2 step increments

Extended Commands (Format 2)

Format Command Action / Function Comments
2 ESC f0_ (Menu key)
2 ESC f1_ Start calibration
2 ESC f2_ (Enter key)
2 ESC f5_ Left draft shield key (closing/opening as learned or default) Only if available
2 ESC f6_ Right draft shield key (closing/opening as learned or default) Only if available
2 ESC p_ Print as with “PRINT” key (e.g., to several interfaces)
2 ESC m0_ Ionizer status Only if available
2 ESC m1_ Ionizer on, with preset time Only if available
2 ESC m2_ Ionizer off Only if available
2 ESC s3_ (CF key): Back, exit, cancel

Draft Shield Commands

Models with Analytical Draft Shield vs Rotational Draft Shield

Format Command Analytical Draft Shield Rotational Draft Shield Comments
2 ESC w0_ Draft shield status Draft shield status Only if available
2 ESC w1_ Open left door Open draft shield 100% to the left Only if available
2 ESC w2_ Close all doors Close draft shield Only if available
2 ESC w3_ Open upper door Open draft shield up to position saved Only if available
2 ESC w4_ Open right door Open draft shield door 100% to the right Only if available
2 ESC w5_ Open left and upper doors — Only if available
2 ESC w6_ Open left and right doors — Only if available
2 ESC w7_ Open right and upper door — Only if available
2 ESC w8_ Open all doors — Only if available

Information / System Commands

Format Command Action / Function
2 ESC x1_ Print weigher type
2 ESC x2_ Output serial number
2 ESC x3_ Print balance software version
2 ESC s0_ Press and hold the (Menu) key

Behavioral notes (verified empirically on MSE1203S BAC 00-39-21)

These notes are documented Sartorius-published syntax above; the points below are observable side-effects and per-firmware deviations measured on the bench rather than printed in the manual.

ESC P pauses autoprint

Sending ESC P while autoprint (p36=4 auto_wo / p36=5 auto_w) is streaming returns one weight line and stops the autoprint stream indefinitely. The stream stays paused until one of: ESC V (zero), ESC T (tare), front-panel zero/tare, or front-panel autoprint re-enable. Treat ESC P as "stop autoprint and read once" rather than just "read once."

This has implications for the package: if Balance.poll() issues ESC P while in autoprint mode (because sbi_autoprint_active was False at the time, e.g. due to false-negative open-time detection), subsequent stream(mode="autoprint") reads will time out until autoprint is resumed. Use Balance.refresh_sbi_autoprint_state() to re-sniff and recover, or send ESC V/ESC T to wake the stream.

ESC V / ESC T resume autoprint

Both execute their command (zero / tare) AND restart any paused autoprint stream. After ESC V you may see a Stat status line then the post-zero reading (N 0.000 g \r\n); after ESC T the post-tare reading appears in the resumed stream.

Identity tokens (ESC x1_/x2_/x3_) work cleanly on MSE1203S BAC 00-39-21

In both autoprint-active and autoprint-paused states. Replies appear interleaved between autoprint weight lines:

N     +    0.026    \r\n
MSE1203S-100-DR     \r\n        ← ESC x1_ reply, mid-stream
N     -    0.013    \r\n

The earlier hardware-day claim that this firmware silently ignored identity tokens was wrong; the package's _probe_sbi ESC P fallback is kept as defense-in-depth for unknown firmware revisions but is not exercised on this MSE.

Unsupported tokens on this firmware

Tokens that produce zero reply on MSE1203S BAC 00-39-21 (verified 2026-04-25 via raw-wire probes):

  • ESC ; ESC O ESC K ESC S ESC Z

These appear in older Sartorius command tables (ESC O = block keys, ESC S = restart, ESC Z = internal calibration) but the unit does not respond on the wire. Use the documented Format-1/Format-2 table above and the firmware-specific Format-2 set as the authoritative list. Some of these may work on other Sartorius models or firmware revisions; do not assume cross-firmware portability.

Cross-protocol byte handling

When the port is in SBI mode, xBPI bytes are silently ignored — the SBI parser does not co-exist with the xBPI parser. Sending xBPI frames produces no reply and does not disturb the autoprint stream. The reverse holds: in xBPI mode, all SBI tokens are silently dropped. Each protocol owns the wire exclusively.