Model Cubes


 

Cubes Command Button

The Cubes command, found on the Model menu, allows you to create, rename and delete Cubes in a currently open database.


 

Create Cube

 

Create a Cube as follows:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, go to Model tab then in the Model control group select the Cubes command.
The Cubes dialog box is displayed.

As illustrated in the preceding figure, a list of existing Cubes is displayed in a list box. (When you access the dialog box for the first time after creating a new database, the list box will be empty.) The Cube text box, at the top of the dialog box, is used to enter the name of a Cube to be created.

2.   Enter <new Cube name> in the Cube text box.   
We will create a Cube called ByRegion, so type that into the text box.

3.   Click the Add button.           
The Define Cube dialog box appears. This is where you will select Dimensions to be used within the new Cube.

All Dimensions contained in the current database are shown in the Available Dimensions list box to the left. To create the Cube you have named (the name is shown at the top of the dialog box—here, ByRegion), you will select Dimensions from the list box and place them in the Selected Dimensions list box on the right.

 

The four buttons in the center have the following functions:

 

The procedure for constructing a Cube from Selected Dimensions is as follows:

4.   Select the Dimensions you want to use in the Cube.
(You can demonstrate this by selecting the Dimensions that appear in the Selected Dimension list box in the figure below.)        
Use Shift or Ctrl to select more than one Dimension.

5.   Click the appropriate button. The selected Dimensions are moved to the Selected Dimensions list box.

The first Dimension(s) in the Selected Dimensions box will appear as Pages in the initial Slice view of a Cube, with the last two Dimensions moved into the box designated as the Columns and Rows, respectively. Therefore, when moving Dimensions into the Selected Dimensions box to create a new Cube, think first about the initial Slice view you want to have each time you create a new Slice from that Cube. In our example, we will see Regions as Columns and Salespeople in Rows in a slice.

6.   To make a Cube accept only numeric data, tick the Numeric Data Only check box at the bottom of the dialog box.

7.   Click OK when complete.     
You are returned to the Cubes dialog box.

At this time, you can create, delete or rename (other) Cubes; define Cube Formulas (Cube Formulas will be explained in another section, refer to Formulas section of this manual); or set other features of the Cube such as Fact Data security (discussed in section on Applying Database Security).

 

 

 

Rename Cube

 

PowerOLAP Cubes can be renamed without losing or deleting Meta Data or Fact Data.

Important


If you have defined Cube Formulas, you must replace the old Cube name, wherever it appears, with the new Cube name in those Formulas.

 

Change the name of a Cube as follows:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Model tab then Cubes command.

2.   Select the Cube to rename.

3.   Enter <new Cube name> in the Cube text box.

4.   Click the Rename button.

5.   Click OK to close the Cubes dialog box.

 

 

 

Delete Cube

 

The Cubes dialog box also gives you the ability to delete a Cube.

Warning


Deleting a Cube will result in the loss of all data contained within the Cube. Use caution when deleting Cubes.

Delete a Cube as follows:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Model tab then Cubes command.

2.   Select the Cube to be deleted.

3.   Click the Delete button.

4.   Click OK to close the Cubes dialog box.

 

 

 

Save Cube Changes to Disk

 

Save Database

The Save Database command found on the File menu allows you to save any changes that have been made within an open database—including Cubes you have created, or changes made to a Cube. All characteristics of a Cube will be saved to disk, including Dimension, Hierarchy, Member, Cube Formulas (see Formulas Section) and Fact Data entries. (Note that the Save Database command will not save unnamed open Slices—see Save a PowerOLAP Database, in the previous section, for an explanation of the Save Database and Save As commands.).

 

Save a new Cube or changes to a Cube within a database as follows:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select File button then Save Database command.

The Database will remain open.