ax certification

[viceman]

now i did it !
i talked my company into going the ax route and now i am going to richmond for the cert course. i've had the demo software for a couple weeks and i have a 403 to play with. my distributor has been great with helping me get up to speed but there is so much to learn.


can you say anxiety attack!

i haven't been this nervous about anything since i went to basic training in 1983.

any tips about what i should concentrate on to prepare for the course would be greatly appreciated. thanks

[leaflying]

Don't worry, man. Softwares are developed for people to use easily. If you can not get it, then the software is problematic, not you.

And I always believe that once you have a clear concept. Details are nothing. So let's check some concepts.

Computer, operating system, software
-Tridium software is a software that can run on different operating system (windows or QNX), different computer (PC or JACE), and gives you same screen outputs and results.

Points
Basically, there are only 3 types of points in AX. Binary, numeric and multi-stage. To handle more complicated points like structured SNVT in Lonworks. AX goes into the structure till the level that 3 types of points can be represented. So, you may see 2 or more AX points represent 1 SNVT sometimes.

Engineering
You have the bus and controllers running. Under AX, you discover controllers under different bus (through different protocol) and add them into bus folder. Under different controller, you discover points and add them into controller point folder.

Simple, right?

[viceman]

thanks leaf. when you put it like that it does sound simple. i have always had the tendency to out think myself. haha.

[jogas]

I just passed the AX cert a couple of months ago(took it in MI). It was a FULL 4 days of class (if you can call it that) and then an all day test on Friday. The problem is not that it's too hard, but that the class goes SO FAST with SO MUCH INFO. At times, you cannot even follow the instructors key strokes on your own laptop without falling behind. It's one hell of a week.
The guys who had an easy time were those that had previous R2/AX/Lon experience.
Be fresh, be ready, and good luck.
If I passed it, you can too.
jogas

[codewriter]

Its really is not hard, its just so easy you tend to overthink, at least thats how I felt. Just get a good nights sleep, dont stay out with Gerard too late drinking and playing pool, and you will be just fine.

Lots of guys here, and on the trid forums that will help guide you through, dont worry about "feeling left out to dry", even if it comes down to where you need to call Tridium, those guys are so top notch they will get you on track in no time. I frequently email some of them in the middle of the night, discussing new idea's, etc... They live and breath this stuff, which is very cool.

hmm.... now to get on their payroll.... ;)

[viceman]

thanks for the input. after printing out the pdfs i have about 30 lbs of manuals i've been looking through. so far i've been able to commision the jace, write a few simple programs, do some schedules and discover some lon devices i have. (the 15c wizard seems to leave a lot to be desired) i don't have any bacnet controllers but from what i've read it looks easier than the lon portion. the graphics are pretty easy to set up but i haven't tried animating anything yet.

however i do type with 2 fingers.

[codewriter]

The 15c is not as bad as it seems, just takes the right person to show you the ropes. I went to a class held by Hutchey on the 15C and it simplified it greatly.

Your already ahead of the game if your doing that already. I got my demo jace and software 1 day before class, and most people there had not even gotten the software yet.

[jogas]

The 15c is not as bad as it seems, just takes the right person to show you the ropes. I went to a class held by Hutchey on the 15C and it simplified it greatly.

Your already ahead of the game if your doing that already. I got my demo jace and software 1 day before class, and most people there had not even gotten the software yet.

Yep. Unfortunately for me, the first time I saw the AX software, or any JACE was the first day of my Tridium class.
jogas

[leaflying]

Me to.:mad:

Yep. Unfortunately for me, the first time I saw the AX software, or any JACE was the first day of my Tridium class.
jogas

[lwarren]

I went to Richmond as nervous as I could be as well. I planned on studying every night, but never did. The class does move extremely fast so pay good attention and take alot of notes.

I was really worried come test day, but I had worried for nothing. I had no previous experience with R2 or AX. It took me 6.5 hrs to take the test, and when I was done I felt very good about it. I ended up getting a 95.

If you get stuck, raise your hand and Phill or Gerard will come over. They will not give you the answer, but they will get you moving in the right direction.

Relax, you will soon see that it is not that bad at all.

[viceman]

i just got back from richmond last night. i actually had vern for the first day (guest instructor) and phil the rest of the week. i see what you guys mean. it isn't that hard. its pretty intuitive. just a lot of info coming at you fast. phil is a teaching machine. the hardest part for me was the alarm and history routing.

the test was pretty straight forward with no suprises.
i used most of the day. i went over my test a few times to clean up the facets and graphics. i think (hope) i passed it. not sure how they grade it.


this is an amazing product. i'm really excited about starting my first job with it. fortunately there is a lot of fat in this project so i have the time to use it as a learninhg experience. thanks again for the replies and this probably won't be the last time i post questions !

[jogas]

i just got back from richmond last night. i actually had vern for the first day (guest instructor) and phil the rest of the week. i see what you guys mean. it isn't that hard. its pretty intuitive. just a lot of info coming at you fast. phil is a teaching machine. the hardest part for me was the alarm and history routing.

the test was pretty straight forward with no suprises.
i used most of the day. i went over my test a few times to clean up the facets and graphics. i think (hope) i passed it. not sure how they grade it.


this is an amazing product. i'm really excited about starting my first job with it. fortunately there is a lot of fat in this project so i have the time to use it as a learninhg experience. thanks again for the replies and this probably won't be the last time i post questions !

I know what you mean about being excited. I'm working on my first job that has 10 JACES. There are 4 guys programming my job including myself.
We created a "correspondence" folder so we could text block message each other on the folder's wire sheet. Cuts down on the phone calls.
jogas

[glennmcaz]

Phil was also my instructor, I took the class in Malibu, CA (Rice U had set it up, and it was held the week after the normal LA class).
I agree with everything said above... I've been to Micrsoft bootcamps that were slower paced. There's a LOT to learn. I got hung up during the test on a simple logic control that I waaaay over thought. Can't go into it, as we all signed that non disclosure.
One of the guys in my class missed beating the fastest time by only 15-30 minutes (completed in roughly 4 hours)! he was sitting next to me and had considerable experience, so it was nice, as i was also one of those that'd never even seen the program and hardware before sitting down in class on Monday.
Helluva platform, just wish I could figure a few things out.

I'm on my first job, 15 days to program 12 JACE's with about 35 Distech LON controllers, 2 Fieldservers tying to JCI DX9100's (about 3 device's worth of points each), and Andover panel with 10 AHU's, one chiller sys and one HX and 2 Allerton panels with 54 VAVs, 6 AHU's, chiller sys and HX.
Can anyone say STRESS!!!!
Thank God there's no logic, only px files, schedules, alarms, histories and points mapping

Anyone want some experience and wanna help... or donate some built px files? i'll gladly accept any dist file you'll send LOL

[codewriter]

Why so many jaces?

[glennmcaz]

12 different buildings in different areas of the base. No connection, physical or virtual allowed. Also, the project dev wasn't complete on this before bid and we had to scramble around for stuff... before I joined the company. I'm playing cleanup and failing miserably.
I have very little really working in the Distech EC Free prog devices and only rudimentary stuff in the JACE's thus far...a fter spending a week trying to get them to even startup.

[jogas]

Pardon my mistake, I answered the wrong thread.
jogas

[leaflying]

You will have a lot of fun for sure. And after you walk out of this job, it will be like Neo's renascence in the MATRIX.


12 different buildings in different areas of the base. No connection, physical or virtual allowed. Also, the project dev wasn't complete on this before bid and we had to scramble around for stuff... before I joined the company. I'm playing cleanup and failing miserably.
I have very little really working in the Distech EC Free prog devices and only rudimentary stuff in the JACE's thus far...a fter spending a week trying to get them to even startup.

[glennmcaz]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, LOL.
I know a certain euphemism that comes to mind and it involves middle of the legs and excrement.
Thanks for all the assistance thus far, and I look forward to picking all of your brains in the future as well. Feel free to pick mine, my three remaining brain cells need a workout.