My Strategies for the CLD

[JordanJMcBain]

I was just informed I had passed the CLD (91.25%).  Here are my tips and strategies that I found useful:

The biggest challenge of the CLD exam is the 4-hour time limit; the problem(s) can seem like 6-hour task(s) when first taking the practice exams.  It is entirely possible to complete the exam in 2-3 hours; practicing with this in mind is the key to success on the CLD.  The practice exams are VERY reflective of what will be tested on the actual CLD.  The purpose of the CLD is to test style, documentation and more importantly an ability to create a program in the LabVIEW paradigm.  NI’s Core 3 is a very useful course to prepare for the LabVIEW paradigm but the architecture exposed in the course project is almost overkill for what’s needed in the CLD.  My suggestion is to stick with a simple state machine (every time); this derives from the time constraints of the test.  My personal tendency in software design and programming is a very uptight approach to modularity/scalability/extensibility; while these are factors in the marking of the CLD, one can often achieve these desired qualities with a state machine and simple sound programming principles; the solutions to the practice exams will give a good indication of what is expected along these lines.

Studying for the CLD should ideally start with Core 3 and then focus almost exclusively on the practice exams.  I found  taking the practice exams twice was a good way of getting my timing down.  The first pass through the exams should be focused on understanding how to architect/program (i.e. clear out LabVIEW cobwebs) and the second pass should focus on timing.  After you have done a few practice exams, you might note that you can get them done by using the state-machine template (in File>New) and then stepping through the requirements/exam one step at a time and implementing the necessary functionality incrementally.  I found that the requirements in the actual exam were not laid out as nicely as they were in the practice exams – so don’t rely on this approach too much.  In contrast, I found that sitting down and drawing out a state-machine design on paper is not an effective use of time for the exam (though a very sound approach for actual practice). 

Documentation and style are important considerations; the prep guide states that you can fail the exam with full functionality if these aspects are badly done.  My suggestion is to do as much of this sort of thing up front; there is less of a time crunch up front than there might be at the end if you are trying to cram that last bit of functionality in at 3:57 hours.  Right from the get go – put in tip strips and descriptions on all of the front panel controls/indicators;  make a *simple* icon for the main simulation VI; put a few lines of description in File>Properties>Documentation for the main VI.  Once this is done, proceed to generating functionality.  When you make sub VI’s, the process should be the same.  You don’t need to document front panel elements on sub VI’s but making a quick icon and File>Properties>Documentation descriptor at the outset will probably pay off in terms of time management and mark optimization.

Leave wire/diagram cleanup to the end – you will probably be adding stuff in that will make the diagram messy again; clean up at the end will eliminate wasting time on cleaning a diagram that will just get messy again anyway.  Don’t use auto-cleanup; your block diagram has to fit in a 1024x768 screen (if you need space – increase the size along either the horizontal or vertical direction – not both!).  Adjust wires either by moving them manually (keyboard shortcuts are critical for this) or use auto cleanup but only on *selected* subsections!

Be extremely comfortable with timing concepts in LabVIEW.  You must be comfortable with timing achieved with functional global variables.  Also, know the ins and outs of the date/time palette (conversion to seconds, time stamps, etc.).

Good luck.

[crossrulz]

That is very good advice.  I experienced much the same when I took the CLD and gave almost exactly the same advice.

[JordanJMcBain]

LOL.  I scanned the web before I took my CLD - searching for tips that I could use.  My commentary above may be a summary of one of your posts.  I didn't intend any "academic dishonesty."  If I did use your advise, thanks for the help!! 🙂

[crossrulz]

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@JordanMcBainPhD wrote:

I didn't intend any "academic dishonesty."

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There wasn't any.  I just meant I gave the same advice (not word-for-word) to others, either on this board or in person.  But we did start a list of hints here:http://forums.ni.com/t5/Certification/CLD-Tips-you-can-t-have-too-many/m-p/2145314#U2145314

If you think of any others, feel free to add to the list.

[Demo_and_Equipment]

Congratulations Jordan.

[ramktamu]

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