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REMINDER: Be sure to enter your
data at the Sybase Certification
Management System. Otherwise, your name will not show up in
the CPD Directory!
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| TIP: These make great, free practice tests! | |
| free PB and
PFC tests PB/PFC Wizzards!
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http://www.wizardhunt.com 
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| free PB E-Certification Online Compete for highest score & Earn an official e-cert logo |
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Good News... The CPD Program [now under Sybase Certified Professional (SCP) Program]...
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Currently, they are in the process of rethinking the entire certification program needs... They are dedicated to making it work for you.
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Excellent changes! |
Other notes of interest... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official Study Guides and Info
There is a lot of info from Sybase Learning Center on preparing for the CPD Tests at:
http://www.sybase.com/education/profcert and http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1002813 ...(Be sure to download & print the Study Guide from here) or by calling U.S.A. (800) 8-SYBASE [which is (800) 879-2273], option 2 |
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Notes:
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CPD Book
There is a very helpful book titled PowerBuilder Essentials - A Guide to the CPD. This book even has some sample CPD Professional application tests to use to practice...
http://www.sys-con.com/books/books.htm ~ comes complete with a CD-Rom and two diskettes containing partial practice tests (PowerPrep Lite and PowerScore Lite)
Are There Some Other Study Tools? - CPD Associate Level
There are a plethora of third party CPD (Associate) practice exams... with downloadable demos too...
http://www.certifyOnline.com CertifyOnline - CPD Online Courseware
http://www.centrasoft.com/cpdbst50.htm CentraSoft's CPD Buster 5.0
http://www.powerconcepts.com/powerscore.html PowerScore 5.0 by PowerConcepts
http://www.docsoftware.com/ PowerPrep 5.0 & 6.0 by D.O.C. Software
http://www.applied-software.com/ CPD Online Class - by Applied Software
There are lots of ads in the PBDJ and PB Advisor magazines as well, for example PowerQuiz & PowerCD...
The way that I word using any of these tools to study, is just that - They are "tools to use to study with", not actual test questions, not necessarily similar questions... but they will "get you warmed up" and help you explore different topics and tidbits. These tests should augment the PS study guide and help build up your confidence and make for some interesting chit chat in the breakroom <s>.
Even the official Sybase sample tests and study guidelines are simply tools, not actual specific exam material.
If you like "cute" and "entertaining", there are some cool CBT programs (altho' pricy) available, too. You can learn bunches from just checking out the demos. One demo that I liked was "Making the Most of PowerBuilder 5.0" by CBT Systems Ltd. Order a demo from http://www.cbtsys.com/
Are There Some Other Study Tools? - CPD Professional Level
CPD Pro 4.0 -
The aforementioned CPD book titled PowerBuilder Essentials - A Guide to the CPD contains some sample CPD Professional application tests that are very similar to the 4.0 actual tests...
http://www.sys-con.com/books/books.htm - PowerBuilder Essentials - A Guide to the CPD
- Has three sample application tests that are excellent for preparing for a CPD Pro 4.0 application test
- One chapter outlines the specifications for the three sample tests and also gives you some pointers on how to interpret the specifications
- And the next chapter details the possible solutions to the three sample tests, including pointers and advice for achieving the optimal solutions
- The three solution PBLs come with the book's diskette also
CPD Pro 5.0 - Other than the official Study Guide (see above), I am not aware of any other preparation tools for the 5.0 test. Please see my personal advice and recommendations below.
CPD Pro 6.0 - There will not be a 6.0 Pro test. Instead, Sybase recommends that you basically take the 5.0 Pro test and then take the 6.0 Pro Migration test. Please see http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1009635 for your personal Certification Path (depending on what certification level you are already at).
CPD Pro 7.0 - There is not a 7.0 Pro test in the sense of the old application-style test. Instead, you simply take the "written exams"... You need to take both the Associate and Professional exam if you are not already a CPD Professional... Or simply the Professional exam if you are already a CPD Professional. Please see http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1009635 for your personal Certification Path (depending on what certification level you are already at).
Use the official Sybase Study Guide (along with the official Sybase Sample Exams if you wish) to study for the CPD Pro 7.0 written exam.
Are There Any Magazine Articles on the CPD Program?
CPD article by Bob Hendry in the August
1999 PBDJ magazine
CPD article by
Sean Rhody in a previous PBDJ magazine
Sharon's Personal Advice on Studying for the CPD Associate Tests
My recommendation is to
learn as much as you possibly can by using PowerBuilder's online Help and online
documentation. Be sure to read and study thoroughly the section of PowerBuilder's
Help that talks about "What's new in PowerBuilder" for the
particular release. Not only for the maintenance exams, but the regular ones as well.
And, of course, if you are a PB newbie... Be sure to attend the recommended Sybase training classes. Although they are not prerequisites for the CPD, such courses as the FastTrack will start you well on your way for the first test. But attending the class is not enough though... Afterwards, you need to go home and STUDY the class materials thoroughly! Do the labs and exercise questions. Plus practice on an application that you build from scratch - Pick an application that you can actually use yourself - like an Address and Label System. Also be sure to play with all of the examples that come with PB.
Sharon's Personal Advice on Studying for the CPD Professional Tests
CPD Pro 4.0 - Please see study tools above; That should get you there easily.
CPD Pro 5.0 - The CPD Pro 5.0 test is also an application test, like the 4.0 one. However, for the 5.0 test, you do not begin from scratch when writing your application. Instead, there is a PBL which includes an existing application. This application is built on a very small class library set of objects (only a handful, don't worry). Then, there are specifications given for how you must enhance the existing application.
To prepare, my recommendation would be to build a small application (like the 4.0 practice apps above) to warm up for it. In your practice application, also try out some of the newer features that are mentioned in the official Study Guide, such as
Tabs, ListViews, TreeViews, RTFs, OCXs, DataStore caching, etc.
Also, when you start the actual test, do not panic when you read all of the enhancements that you will be needing to make to the application. You will have three full hours, and it is plenty of time for you to complete it. The specifications walk you step by step through each enhancement that you need to make. So just take it one step at a time. For the little ones that you feel "stuck" on, just skip them, and come back to them later... Good Luck and Have fun!
CPD Pro 6.0 - There will not be a 6.0 Pro test. Instead, Sybase recommends that you basically take the 5.0 Pro test and then take the 6.0 Pro Migration test. Please see http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1009635 for your personal Certification Path (depending on what certification level you are already at).
CPD Pro 7.0 - There is not a 7.0 Pro test in the sense of the old application-style test. Instead, you simply take the "written exams"... You need to take both the Associate and Professional exam if you are not already a CPD Professional... Or simply the Professional exam if you are already a CPD Professional. Please see http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1009635 for your personal Certification Path (depending on what certification level you are already at).
By the way, the CPD Pro 7.0 exam is very similar to the CPD Pro 6.0 Migration exam. So if you have already passed that one, it should be a breeze for you to upgrade to 7.0. Good luck!
Sharon's Personal Advice on Taking the CPD Associate/Professional Tests
I will warn you not to "overanalyze"
your answers. For in my opinion, to the intelligent, analytical minds,
the questions can many times seem tricky ~ obscure ~ irrelevant ~&/or~ subjective!!
Watch out for those possible-multi-answer questions (checkboxes)
that tempt you in to checking a box that sounds like it could possibly be true ~ although
you have never even heard of it... They'll get ya if you're not careful.
And if you check
one checkbox wrong, you miss the whole question. So forewarned is forearmed,
okay? ... 
Good news! Merris has changed their use of
checkbox questions so that in all future tests it will say how many checkboxes you should
check. Thank you, Merris!
| Now here's the most important advice that I have for all of
you CPD seekers out there... Don't feel bad if it takes a couple of tries, even for each step of the way... For everyone I have ever known (myself included) took more than one try on most every PB test they took!! Don't bet your self image on whether you pass or fail or whether it's going to get any easier... Just go with the flow and turn it into as fun of an experience as you can. Okay? ... Here is my most favorite CPD motivational advice... I forgot where I saw this. Some book or motivational infommercial. |
In fact, here is a another little tip... If you don't swing it the first time... *Immediately afterwards*, go to a quiet place, alone, grab a beer or beverage of your choice and jot down every piece of any Associate question (or Professional application specification) that you can remember... Use this as your study guide for round two!
Now, if you miss the CPD Professional Test by only a few points, make sure that you schedule a followup phone meeting with the grader (phone number found on your letter) to discuss what points were deducted. After your phone meeting, if you still feel that your solution was valid, then be sure to write a formal letter to the CPD Review Committee. I wish I had actually done that... I drafted two or three, but I gave up too soon....because I felt beaten from the phone interviews and debates. Please do not let that happen to you, and I personally will feel that the world is a better place.
Sharon's Personal Advice on Coping
And if you get flustered from "failing", well, just come back to this bookmark and do some venting... Write me a little note, and I will comfort you even 8-) ... Or practice whining like, for instance, say, "Gee, wish someone would make them more realistic and not so harsh, but maybe it is just a sign of the times. I personally wish that they would just double the price and be better at helping us to be able to get it the first time! Sure would be more positive ~ more encouraging ~ more humane ~&~ less frustrating..." Or, heck, maybe even try some constructive criticism feedback directed at the Sybase people that can do something about it! Sam Lakkundi at mailto:Sam.Lakkundi@sybase.com , Rosalyn Sarmiento at mailto:Rosalyn.Sarmiento@sybase.com or the Certification Administrator at mailto:cert_admin@sybase.com or at 1-800-8-SYBASE (1-800-879-2273) appreciate your constructive feedback. They will actually listen and try to improve things for you and the next person.
And, when you step up to the CPD Professional level of testing fun... Let this first phrase be your mantra and the second phrase simply make yourself laugh at yourself 8-) |
Sharon's Personal CPD Humor!
Here's a note that I wrote the night (early morn aft) of the same day that I
finally passed the CPD Pro 5.0 Maintenance Test... It's called "Zen and
the Art of CPD Maintenance - We're having fun NOW!" 
~~ Click Here
May it help you on your CPD path... ~sb
Sharon's Politically Correct Footnote
But, now in Sybase's defense though... What I have learned, and come to realize and accept, is that Sybase strives to keep up the value of the CPD title. And as a side effect, the title becomes harder to achieve. See, I actually like the fact that it is hard enough to make it actually mean something...
But my main concern has always been that there was not much that a person could do to prepare for the tests... because there were no sample tests that really paralleled them, and the study guide was broad and vague, and well, who has the time to sit and memorize the entire PowerBuilder Online Help file and Online Documentation? ... However, now that I see that Sybase has made a major commitment to remedy these problems, and indeed now I have seen actual improvements, I personally feel much, much more relieved. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.......
And, in closing, please bear in mind, one thing is for sure… You will learn *a lot* from your CPD Test experience!
| Good Luck! 8-) ~Sharon
Feel free to write me at mailto:"Sharon Weinstrom Buntz" <sbuntz@texas.net> |
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| ~~ Special thanks to Vaidyanathan Sriram for his
inspiration for this little write-up! ... And thanks to Jesse Morales, Daniel Fox, Mark Guo, Pat Catanzaro, Ken Yates, Bob Fields,Cindy Houck, Ian Ross, Sumit Basu, Dean Ames, Sheldon Shulman, Cecil O'Brien Owens, Jr. and Kambiz Khatami's inspiration to keep it updated and helpful. ~~ Special thanks to Boris
Gasin, Judy Cote, Michael Campbell, Greg Nieman, Kent Marsh, Todd DeRosa, Larry Cermak (and several other
TeamSybasers) as well as my incredibly patient husband, John, for helping me thru my personal CPD drama! |
Sharon (the crazy chick from Texas) ... Alex, "PFC God", and founder of CPD Program, shoots this pic in Houston (at Steve Benfield's class) [Here's Alex and Steve's [Conf'97 CPD Test |
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