CLD Exam

[NickRH]

Hi all,

So I`m thinking to sit the CLD exam later this year and would value any hints / tips from our talented group.....

Having recently completed Core 3 Labview training I was left with the impression that the CLD exam was predominantly based around the QMH architecture. However, I`ve spent some time looking through the exam prep material and it would appear that all of the solutions are based on a simple state machine design.

Could I be nosey and ask who used which design for the CLD exam and how did you all get on with it ? Complete and functional project in the end? If not how far did you get in 4 hours ?

Thanks in advance,

Nick H

[James_McN]

Hi Nick,

I actually used the simple state machine in my exam and passed so it is certainly valid.

However I would normally recommend practicing and planning to use the QMH. The reason is even the solutions that suit a state machine can be done with a QMH but the same isn't always true the other way around so it is a safter starting point and one less decision on the day!

The one thing QMH can make hard is very time dependent processes i.e. do this for 30 seconds can be a bit easier with a state machine.

If NI UK are still doing the prep classes that will also often show some useful ideas that are possible with the QMH that can make your life easier.

Cheers,

James

[NickRH]

Hi James,

Thank you for that info.

I`m attending the NI CLD Prep session this Thursday so it sounds like that will be very useful.

Having only just attended the Core 3 course, and not having an application at work which justifies using the QMH, I have not spent a huge amount of time using it in anger.

So far I`m thinking state machine with a simple queue system for the states, not that I`m going to ignore / forget the QMH. I believe you can access the standard templates so I can recreate the QMH fairly easily if I really can`t use a state machine.

Fingers crossed ....

Cheers,

Nick

[AndyBradford]

Hi Nick

I also used the simple state machine and passed last December.

I would also recommend doing one or more of the free prep days that NI run.  It is good for feedback and also good practice at a timed exam. Timing yourself at home never seems to produce the same stress levels!  In both prep days that I did, I used a state machine and got reasonable feedback.

The most valuable feedback that I got on these days was to not obsess on the functionality and make sure you get all the marks for style and documentation. This goes against what you tend to do in the day job. Having something that mostly runs, has good style and is well documented will probably get you through, even if it does not have all the functionality (mine didn't).

Cheers

Andy

[swatts]

This got me through my CLD and CLA....

Learn to churn a template architecture out quick that you are comfortable with. I have a combination of state machine with queued transitions and another queue for UI stuff. This is pretty much what I use for all my systems so I'm really comfortable converting requirements to it. For me this was the most difficult aspect, converting a set of requirements.

I could spin up this architecture in about 1.5 hours and did this before I looked at the requirements for my CLA

[NickRH]

Ok great , thank you for the info.

So i`m guessing you don`t get access to the design templates , i.e. Simple State Machine and QMH when your in the exam?

If thats the case i`ll definitely go Simple State Machine as I doubt i`ll remember the whole QMH setup.

[John_Neutron]

Hi Nick

You have the built-in templates from vanilla LabVIEW so whatever you get in Create Project>>Templates from the LabVIEW Splash Screen is what you get in the exam.

This includes Simple State Machine, Queued Message Handler and a bunch of others.

It is worth noting that the exam PC has the newest version of LabVIEW so it can be worth checking what you get in LabVIEW 2016 with an evaluation copy if you don't have it already for work.

Cheers

John

[NickRH]

Thanks John, 

Were still using 2014 here but i`ve just installed 2016 on my machine at home .... I best have a nose around.