If an IO-path is specified, it must be assigned to a IEEE-488 device. If the computer is the active controller and a primary address is specified, control is passed to the addressed device. An error is generated if the computer is not the active controller or only an interface select code is specified. The specified device is talk addressed, a Take-Control-Message (TCT) is sent and the Attention line is set false. The computer then becomes a bus device, as opposed to a bus controller.
