URLyBird 1.3.1: passed (383/400)

[Roberto Perillo]

Howdy y'all, what y'all doin'?

Boy, it's been a while since I last posted here!!! But it's good to see that there are new people taking part on this forum! The last months have been pretty busy due to my post graduation, but I promise I'll take part on this forum more oftenly!

Well, after two months waiting, yesterday I got to know the results of my assignment. Here they are:

General Con: 100 92
Documentation: 70 70
OOD: 30 30
GUI: 40 31
Locking: 80 80
Data Store: 40 40
Network Server: 40 40
Total: 400 383

The books I used to achieve this certification were SCJD Exam with J2SE 5, Second Edition and Java 2 Developers' Exam Cram 2.

I'd like to say thanks a lot for everybody that helped me here. When I was building my project, I was following every single thread of discussion, even when I was not directly replying to them.

Thanks Andrew for your outstanding book. It is not only a good book for those who want to achieve this certification, but also an excelent material for those who want to improve their skills and knowledge in the topics you addressed. It really helps anyone that pursuits this certification!

One tip: if you're about to submit your project, right after you upload your final .jar file, send an email to [e-mail], saying that you already uploaded your project. Sometimes, for some weird reason, their system does not recognize that you already uploaded the file, so this will help your assignment to be graded faster, if any problem occurs.

And also, one final curiosity: many threads here say that you must generate stubs, that is, run the rmic command. I myself did not generate any stubs, since I used Java 6! And some might say "oh, it was a lucky shot"... I don't really believe that, because the first question of my essay exam was: what did you use, RMI or sockets, and why? There, I answered that I used RMI and that I had not run the rmic command, since I had used Java 6 and it was not necessary anymore. If this really leaded to an automatic failure, they would read this and fail me automatically. Well, either this, or they don't read what you write on your essay exam!
Later today, I'll post the tests I created to test my locking mechanism (which are veeeeeeery simple), and the logic of my server.

Again, thanks a lot guys!!!

[Joe San]

Congratulations!

[Anne Crace]

Congrats!!! Interesting about the rmic. Yes, we indeed do have to use Java 6. I have had my exam out for almost 3 years now. Fortunately, mine compiled right away with Java 6. It is not that big of a change from Java 5. I have my ant script doing the rmic right now. I'll have to try it without it. Looking forward to seeing your locking test.

[sree visu]

Congrats on the great score...
I am about to start my work on scjd....hoping for good

[Roberto Perillo]

I am about to start my work on scjd....hoping for good

Do you want a piece of advice? Keep things as simple as possible. That's the key. There's no need to develop something other than the things that are asked. And if you do, there's the risk of doing something wrong and losing marks... follow all Java code conventions and write complete JavaDocs, following the conventions as well.
You're in the right place. Here, you can clear all doubts that you will have (and you will ), and everybody here will certainly help you!!!
[ November 08, 2008: Message edited by: Roberto Perillo ]

[Bert Bates]

Congrats Roberto,

off to the results forum...

Bert

[Anirban Das Gupta]

Congrats Roberto....well done

Anirban
SCJP(1.4)

[Ha Minh Nam]

Congratulations Roberto!
I'm doing my assignment: URLyBird 1.1.3.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.

[Roberto Perillo]

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.

Hello, my buddy.
I still didn't have the time to post parts of my solution that could help other developers. My post graduation is taking a lot of my time, and I'm also helping to prepare an article that will hopefully be published by the end of the year. But very soon I'll post my locking strategy, the tests I created for it, the server logic, etc...

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Hi, Congrats!!!. In about few days, I'll take the essay exam. Do you have any tips on the essay exam ? The biggest afraid is if I accidentally answer the question differently with my project implementation. Did you ever think about it ?


thanks

Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Do you have any tips on the essay exam ?

Hello, my friend!!! How's it going?
Well, the essay exam is composed by 4 simple questions. No need to worry about it at all.
You'll be asked about things like, what did you use (RMI or Sockets), why your locking mechanism is thread-safe (a friend of mine answered "Thread-safe?" and got failed! hahah kidding), explain some detail about your GUI or things like that... I'd say a got tip is to mention details like name of classes (for instance, I mentioned that I created a class called suncertify.view.mainwindow.AbstractApplicationTableModel which extends javax.swing.table.AbstractTableModel, where I added 5 extra methods), I mean, details that really prove that you created it. For that, study your hierarchy of classes, your methods and why you created them.
Also, before uploading, the hardest thing in this certification is the locking mechanism. So before uploading, make sure it works properly in both networked mode and non-networed mode.

I believe you have the URLyBird, isn't it? If so, and your lock method does not return a value, use the Thread id to identify a client only in local mode, or you'll probably get 44 in this criteria. I used a long value that is generated on the client side that is passed to the server, and the server sets a local variable called clientId in the Data class. There, if this variable is not null, it puts the record being locked along with this value in a HashMap; otherwise (it is local mode), I put the record being locked along with the Thread id. Also, I used the wait()/notifyAll() methods in the lock method of both my server and my Data class

Just make sure your locking mechanism does not cause dead lock and blocks properly in both networked mode and non-networked mode and you'll be fine. And good luck!!!
[ November 12, 2008: Message edited by: Roberto Perillo ]

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Is it guaranteed that 1 from 4 questions will ask us about our networking solution (socket or RMI) ?


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Hum... most likely, yes... as well as about the locking mechanism...

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

What did you do while waiting for the result ? Did you have some kind of bad premonition ?


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Well, to be honest, yes With all that story about having to generate stubs, I was kindda pessimistic, on the other hand, I was 99,9% sure it was not needed anymore, and wanted to prove my theory... And also, I created an interface called DB that extends Sun's interface, and added a method called loadDbRecords(), which reads the .db file and stores all records in a HashMap. So when I deal with records, I do not use the .db file at all, just the HashMap (and the persistDbRecords method, which is another record I created, must also be called before finishing the application). So I was not sure if this was a valid approach... but fortunatelly everything went well!
I'm sure that in less than a month you'll be a SCJD too, partner!

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Thanks for encouraging me. BTW, How long the answer that you did for each of the question ?


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

I think, around 20-30 lines... just remember that the more tiny details you put able your project (like name of classes) the better.
And by the way, while I was waiting for the results, I studied for SCBCD, didn't finish though

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

just remember that the more tiny details you put able your project (like name of classes) the better.
And by the way

Is it your own opinion or the other member of this forum ? Or maybe that's why the essay provides us 2 hours just for answering 4 questions ?

After I upload my assignment, I think I did a little mistake, I use static variable when instance variable is better. Can I get automatic failure or just the deduction ?

Sorry for asking too much questions.

Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Is it your own opinion or the other member of this forum ?

Well, I don't know about the other members' opinion, I particularly believe it really helps. The idea is to show them that you really coded everything by yourself.

I use static variable when instance variable is better. Can I get automatic failure or just the deduction ?

I'm pretty sure you won't fail because of that. Maybe you'll lose a few points because of this + some other little mistakes you may make.

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

How about some typos in our documentation as well as in our choices.txt ? Is it acceptable ?


Thanks

Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Oh, absolutelly, as long as they can understand what you want to say. Maybe you can lose a few marks because of that, but nothing to worry to much about. Once I read here the post of a guy that also passed, and his english wasn't that clear

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

ok, in about 14 hours I'll be in the essay exam. Wish me luck !!!


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Good luck, man!
When you have your score, share it with us!

Your score will be: 399 (1 point less for the static variable)

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Hi Roberto, I already took the essay exam. Now it just a matter of time. What should I do while waiting ? Any suggestions ?


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> preparing to take the essay exam

[Roberto Perillo]

Yes, lots of them, actually

First, if you want to know well about all design patterns (if you still don't), I'd recommend the Head First Design Patterns book.

Then, depending on your next target, you can read either Head First JSP & Servlets (if you want to be a SCWCD) or EJB3 In Action (if you want to be a SCBCD). This is the book I started reading, and it is a very good book. I won't have classes for 2 weeks in my post graduation, so hopefully I'll be able to finish it!

Another book I recommend is Core J2EE Patterns.

You can also learn about MDA and Domain Driven Design. I still don't have these books, but these will be the christmas presents I'll give to myself!

And finally, you can read the SCEA Study Guide. I bought this book yesterday, I'm still waiting for it.

So here you have some good references. I agree that it is too much to read in just a month (which is the period you'll wait for the results). Take a careful look at them and pick up the ones that most fit in your wishes.
[ November 15, 2008: Message edited by: Roberto Perillo ]

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Actually, I already read most part of Head First Servlet before I submit my assignment. I want to take SCWCD. I also want to buy EJB 3 in Action. Do you think that EJB book is good ? What IDE we need to do the code provided in that book ?


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> Waiting for the result

[Roberto Perillo]

So, partner... I really liked the EJB3 In Action book. I think it is a very good book. To play a little bit with it, I'd advice you to use Eclipse and Glassfish. The book uses the @EJB annotation. I tried it on JBoss, but then I discovered that this annotation is not part of the EJB3 Specification. It only works on Glassfish.

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

OK, I'll buy it. BTW, where did you get the SCJD result ? in E-mail or in certmanager ?


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> Waiting for the result

[Roberto Perillo]

I kept looking at this site everyday: http://certmanager.net/sun_assignment. Your score will be first displayed here, 4 business days later here: http://certmanager.net/sun.

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

I can't wait for the result. Does your certificates help you to get the job ? I do.


Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar (Java Instructor)
SCJP 5.0, SCJA, SCJD (UrlyBird 1.3.2) --> Waiting for the result

[Krishna Srinivasan]

congrats!!

[Ninad Kulkarni]

Congratulations!

[Payal Shah]

hi Roberto ,

I found this post and but I cannot find your test for locking. I am testing my locking now and getting very nervous and just want to test many differnt cases I can get. It would be a big help if you do not mind sharing your locking test with me or give me some ideas for testing.

Later today, I'll post the tests I created to test my locking mechanism (which are veeeeeeery simple)

Regards.