Simple Questions (cannot find the answers myself)

[GSR]

All of the following are correct ways to view a SubVI on a Block Diagram, EXCEPT:

A

Expanded Node

B

Expandable Node

C

Icon

D

Modular Node

DAQmx channels and virtual channels are a collection of property settings that include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A

base I/O address.

B

type of measurement.

C

scaling information.

D

physical channel.

The DAQ Assistant can perform all of the following operations, EXCEPT:

A

Analog Input.

B

Frequency Measurement.

C

Digital Input.

D

Arbitrary Waveform Generation.

Description and help information for a VI may be placed:

A

on the Block Diagram or Front Panel.

B

in File » VI Properties » Documentation.

C

Both A. and B.

D

None of the above

Which of the following only plots data in evenly distributed intervals along the x-axis?

A

Waveform Graph

B

Waveform Chart

C

XY Graph

D

Both A. and B.

E

Both B. and C.

Two more questions,

1) I set the "description and tip" in a meter; and I can see only "description" by using "show context help". How can I see the "Tip"???

2) What is the difference between TIME DELAY and Wait ???

[Yair]

All of the following are correct ways to view a SubVI on a Block Diagram, EXCEPT:

Modular Node

DAQmx channels and virtual channels are a collection of property settings that include all of the following, EXCEPT:

Not sure, as I don't really use it.

The DAQ Assistant can perform all of the following operations, EXCEPT:

Arbitrary Waveform Generation.

Description and help information for a VI may be placed:

Both A. and B.

Which of the following only plots data in evenly distributed intervals along the x-axis?

Waveform Chart

I'm pretty sure that the help for the description window explains this, but the tip is for the tip strip - you have to hover over the control with the mouse cursor to see it.

I'm assuming that the time delay express VI simply calls the wait primitive, but can't be sure. You can check it by right clicking it and choosing to open its FP.

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 6 2009, 12:36 PM)

...

Which of the following only plots data in evenly distributed intervals along the x-axis?

Waveform Chart

...

For the sake of passing the test, remeber Yair's reply.

[Rant = True]

That Q always drives me nuts! If the answer was chart, I would not freak so much. But is says "Waveform Chart" and under the right conditions it will plot at arbitrary intervals.

At the local NITS they were running these question on the screen while we gathered. When running across the "coercion dot" question I mentioned it was wrong after giving the answer the test wanted. Since the facilitator was curious he had me stand-up and explain myself. For the novice LV user this type of stuff doesn't matter much. But for myself, I am embarassed in NI's behalf.

OK I fell better now.

[Rant = False]

Ben

[Gary Rubin]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 6 2009, 12:36 PM)

Which of the following only plots data in evenly distributed intervals along the x-axis?

Waveform Chart

I must admit that I don't understand this. Why is the correct answer not D, both Waveform Graph and Waveform Chart?

[Francois Normandin]

QUOTE (Gary Rubin @ Jan 6 2009, 03:57 PM)

I must admit that I don't understand this. Why is the correct answer not D, both Waveform Graph and Waveform Chart?

Actually, I would say Waveform Graph only. I had read "Evenly spaced along in time" (not along the axis)... Gary is right.

Waveform graphs use evenly spaced datasets (t0, dt, y(t)), while waveform charts can be appended with any Y value without being evenly spaced in time. Granted, they would be evenly spaced in index (0,1,2,3...) but with no relation with time other than an approximation for an evenly timed loop.

[BobHamburger]

I've ranted about the CLAD questions in the past myself. Bottom line: they largely don't ask relevant questions, and are full of pretty much pointless minutia that does not truly establish the test-takers LabVIEW expertise or lack thereof. It's clear that the questions have been written by Customer Education folks who themselves are not working LV professionals, and so they can't distinguish the important topics from the trivial.

[crelf]

QUOTE (BobHamburger @ Jan 6 2009, 05:25 PM)

I've ranted about the CLAD questions in the past myself.

...but IMHO the CLAD isn't about establishing one's professional use of LabVIEW - it's more for the college student/grad/beginner to show a foothold in LabVIEW, certainly not mastery of it. I think saying that the questions are all "...pretty much pointless minutia that does not truly establish the test-takers LabVIEW expertise or lack thereof." - IMHO that's just not true. Sure, it's not as comprehensive as a CLD exam, but I still think that there's plenty of value in the CLAD accreditation - the aims of each are very different.

Would I hire someone who was only a CLAD? That depends on what I'm hiring for. If I'm hiring for a professional LabVIEW engineer that I want to know will hit the ground running, then I'd put them through a CLD-style exam first (we do that when we interview). That said, would a co-op/intern with a CLAD on their resume be considered more highly than one without? Yes - because it shows that they've at least a passing interest in LabVIEW.

[Gary Rubin]

QUOTE (BobHamburger @ Jan 6 2009, 05:25 PM)

I've ranted about the CLAD questions in the past myself. Bottom line: they largely don't ask relevant questions, and are full of pretty much pointless minutia that does not truly establish the test-takers LabVIEW expertise or lack thereof. It's clear that the questions have been written by Customer Education folks who themselves are not working LV professionals, and so they can't distinguish the important topics from the trivial.

I think that question would be more clear and would be testing more pertinent knowledge if it was turned around: "Which plot type is the only one that plots data points that are not uniformly space on the x-axis?".

[BobHamburger]

QUOTE (Gary Rubin @ Jan 6 2009, 06:04 PM)

I think that question would be more clear and would be testing more pertinent knowledge if it was turned around: "Which plot type is the only one that plots data points that are not uniformly space on the x-axis?".

Well, now you're getting into the other half of my exasperation with NI exams: the questions are exceedingly poorly written. Their ambiguity is legendary, and over the years, the ambiguity has put on weight.

[crelf]

QUOTE (BobHamburger @ Jan 6 2009, 10:29 PM)

...over the years, the ambiguity has put on weight.

I can't disagree that some of the questions are misleading and/or poorly written (just like some of my posts here on LAVA ), but when I see those issues I contact customer education and tell them what I don't like and why. Talking about them here without contacting NI directly is like reporting a LabVIEW bug here without telling NI about it, and then getting cranky when NI doesn't fix them.

[ASTDan]

QUOTE (BobHamburger @ Jan 6 2009, 10:29 PM)

Well, now you're getting into the other half of my exasperation with NI exams: the questions are exceedingly poorly written. Their ambiguity is legendary, and over the years, the ambiguity has put on weight.

Right now the CLD is the only gig in town. It has it's flaws, but it is the only recognized tool for evaluating one's LabVIEW skills.

Maybe there should be the LAVA certified developer. :ninja:

[crelf]

QUOTE (ASTDan @ Jan 7 2009, 09:26 AM)

Right now the CLD is the only gig in town.

IMHO the CLAD, CLD and CLA all have different purposes. If you want some familiarity with the LabVIEW development environment, go with the CLAD. If you want LabVIEW development skills, go with the CLD. If you want architectural design and implimentation, go with the CLA. Since you need to work through the certifications (you can't just go to CLA without doing CLAD and CLD first), then you could say that CLA means architectural design and implementation, development skills and familiarity with the development environment

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE (ASTDan @ Jan 7 2009, 09:26 AM)

...

Maybe there should be the LAVA certified developer. :ninja:

That would put LAVA in a position of thretening NI's revenue stream, "Bad, bad, bad" (Rolf Kalbermatter, when realizing that rings used a 16 bit internal representation)

Even if it wasn't competition like LAVA-Certified require CLA first,

1) Who would do the evals?

2) How would they be compensated?

Ben

[ASTDan]

QUOTE (neB @ Jan 7 2009, 12:13 PM)

2) How would they be compensated?

Beer of course

QUOTE (crelf @ Jan 7 2009, 11:32 AM)

IMHO the CLAD, CLD and CLA all have different purposes. If you want some familiarity with the LabVIEW development environment, go with the CLAD. If you want LabVIEW development skills, go with the CLD. If you want architectural design and implimentation, go with the CLA. Since you need to work through the certifications (you can't just go to CLA without doing CLAD and CLD first), then you could say that CLA means architectural design and implementation, development skills and familiarity with the development environment

IMHO I think NI's certification is very good. It is not perfect (what is), but I did learn a lot going through the process. Getting my CLD was the biggest jump in my LabVIEW programming carer. I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to become a better LabVIEW programmer

[Yair]

I never used the waveform graph and didn't really notice it in the options. Gary is probably right and the WF graph is also a correct option.

As mentioned in other threads in the past, I also agree with the others regarding the phrasing and incompleteness (sometimes even incorrectness) of the questions.

As for the other questions you posted, you should try looking into the answers yourself. For example, the one about the charts should be easy enough - just try it.

[crelf]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 7 2009, 01:48 PM)

I also agree with the others regarding the phrasing and incompleteness (sometimes even incorrectness) of the questions.

I don't know the official channels that should be used for contacting NI customer education about issues with their exams, but I usually just email David Corney directly (using the standard NI firstname.lastname@ni.com email address format). He's a great guy, and is really keen to get as much community feedback on customer education as possible. So, with that in mind, you all now have a contact so you can actually do something about it instead of just posting here. He might not be exactly the right guy to deal with issues with CLAD questions, but he'll certainly find the right person :thumbup:

[Gary Rubin]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 7 2009, 01:48 PM)

I never used the waveform graph...

You don't?!

How do you look at your data?

[Yair]

QUOTE (Gary Rubin @ Jan 7 2009, 09:17 PM)

You don't?!

How do you look at your data?

Many of the systems I make do not require a graph representation of data (not everyone using LV does DAQ all the time). For those who do, my preferred tool is usually the XY graph, since each point has an X value as well. On occasion I use the chart as well.

P.S. I never really used the WF data type either (or the dynamic data type, for that matter).

[Gary Rubin]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 7 2009, 02:37 PM)

P.S. I never really used the WF data type either (or the dynamic data type, for that matter).

I'm still using version 7.1. I don't know if this has changed with later versions or not, but a "waveform graph" in 7.1 does not imply the use of a waveform data type. I never use dynamic or waveform data types either. I figure those both represent a layer of overhead that is totally unnecessary.

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 7 2009, 02:37 PM)

...

P.S. I never really used the ...(or the dynamic data type, for that matter).

Good, don't! One of my associates (did you meet Tim at NI Week?) flew to another city to do some consulting to help optimize an app that the customer simply could not get to run as fast as needed. He tossed that dynamic data, tested the modification, and switched to an earlier flight home. "He went, He saw, He re-wired"

Ben

[Yair]

QUOTE (Gary Rubin @ Jan 7 2009, 09:42 PM)

I don't know if this has changed with later versions or not, but a "waveform graph" in 7.1 does not imply the use of a waveform data type.

It hasn't, its basic datatype is still t0, dt, Y[]. As I said, I simply haven't looked it.

Ben, I might have met Tim at NIWeek (I remember meeting a couple of DSA guys), but I have a terrible memory. Of course, I remember meeting Mike, but I think the only way you can avoid noticing Mike is if you have Putnam in the same room making even more noise. :laugh:

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE (Yair @ Jan 8 2009, 03:03 PM)

It hasn't, its basic datatype is still t0, dt, Y[]. As I said, I simply haven't looked it.

Ben, I might have met Tim at NIWeek (I remember meeting a couple of DSA guys), but I have a terrible memory. Of course, I remember meeting Mike, but I think the only way you can avoid noticing Mike is if you have Putnam in the same room making even more noise. :laugh:

I'm not saying the word Waveform implies waveform data type. What I am saying is

if a chart is a WF data type

then aperiodic values can be plotted using it.

Since the Q uses the word "only" that rules out options b,c,d so the only correct answer is "a"*.

Ben

* but don't trust me!