Before you build attribute dimensions in a database, you must define the attribute member name formats for the outline. See Setting Member Names in Attribute Dimensions.

You can build attribute dimensions in one of the following ways:

• The same way in which you build standard dimensions.

  See Process for Data Loading and Dimension Building.

• Simultaneously, as you associate attributes with members of the base dimension.

  See Associating Attributes in a Dimension Build.

Essbase does not support concurrent attribute association with the Add as build methods.

When you define the rules file for building attribute dimensions, specify the base dimension and the name of the attribute dimension file.

Whether you build the attribute dimension and associate the attribute members with the members of the base dimension in one step or in separate steps, define the fields as described in this section.

Every record of the source data must include at least two columns: one for the member of the base dimension and one for the attribute value of the base dimension member. In the same source data record, you can include additional columns for other attributes that you want to associate with the member of the base dimension. You must position the base member fields before the corresponding attribute member fields.

Example

You can have Essbase build members of base dimensions and attribute dimensions, and make attribute associations, in the same dimension build job.

Assume you want to perform a dimension build that adds to Sample Basic new Product members 500-10 and 500-20, as children of 500.

In the same dimension build, you want to add a new numeric attribute member, 64, to the Ounces attribute dimension.

500	500-10	64	True
500	500-20	64	False

After you run the dimension build job, it builds members and associates attributes as shown in the outline below. Member 64 is a new member of the Ounces attribute dimension. Members 500, 500-10, and 500-20 are new members of the base dimension, Product, and are associated with member 64.

To recreate this example,

1. Import/build the Sample Basic cube, using the application workbook available from the gallery in the file catalog on the Essbase Server.

2. Create a tab-delimited data file like the following, name it attrprod.txt, and upload it to the Sample Basic cube directory.

   500	500-10	64	True
   500	500-20	64	False

3. On the Applications page, expand the application (Sample).

4. From the Actions menu, to the right of the cube name (Basic), launch the inspector.

   
   
   
   
   

5. Select the Scripts tab, and then click Rules.

   
   
   
   
   

6. Click Create and choose Dimension Build (Regular).

   
   
   
   
   

7. In the New Rule dialog,

   1. Enter a rule name; for example, attrprod.

   2. For Source Type select File, click Catalog and navigate to attrprod.txt.

      When you click Catalog, the file is expected to be located in the cube directory on the Essbase Server by default, so you must have already uploaded it using the Files section of the Essbase web interface. If the file is on your client machine, click File Browser to locate the file.

   3. Leave the Header Record Number and Dimension Build Record Number fields as 0. Header records are not useful for dimension builds.

   4. Change the Delimiter value from Comma to Tab.

   5. Click Proceed.

   6. The dimension build rule opens with undefined fields, and preview data (from the text file) populating the grid below the fields.
      
      

8. As this is a new rule, there are no dimensions associated yet.

   1. Click Dimensions.
      
      
      
      
   2. Select or type the dimension name Product, and click Add.

9. Now you need to define the build method and check other dimension build operational instructions. Click Product to edit the properties.
   
   

10. Ensure Build Method is Generation. Leave the Member Name field below it blank.
    
    

11. Click Advanced, and select Create Attributes.
    
    
    
    
12. Click OK.
13. In the attrprod rule:
    1. In Field 1, select Product for the Dimension, and Generation for the Type. Increment the Generation field to 2.
    2. In Field 2, select Product for the Dimension, and Generation for the Type. Increment the Generation field to 3.
    3. In Field 3, select Product for the dimension, and Attribute Dimension for the Type. Below it, select Ounces.

       Field 3 contains members of the Ounces attribute dimension associated with the Product dimension. Because this field immediately follows the data field defined as the generation 3 member of the base dimension Product, Essbase associates the attribute member 64 with the 500-10 and 500-20 members.

    4. In Field 4, select Product for the dimension, and Attribute Dimension for the Type. Below it, select Caffeinated.

       Field 4 shows how to associate an attribute from an additional single-level attribute dimension. Because the base dimension is already specified, you need only to define an additional field for each attribute that you want to associate with the member of the base dimension.

       
       
       
       
       

    Note:

    When you are working with numeric ranges, you may need to build attribute dimensions and perform associations in separate steps. See Working with Numeric Ranges.

14. Verify the rule, then save and close. If there are any errors, see Requirements for Valid Dimension Build Rule Files.

15. Run the dimension build job.

16. Open the outline. Before checking results of your dimension build, adjust the displayed columns to show attribute associations. On the outline toolbar, select the Display selected columns in the table icon.
    
    
    
    
17. Scroll down. For property name Attributes, click Show in name. Click Apply and Close.
18. Expand the Product dimension, and then expand the member, 500.

    After you run the dimension build job, it builds members and associates attributes as shown in the outline below. Member 64 is a new member of the Ounces attribute dimension. Members 500, 500-10, and 500-20 are new members of the base dimension, Product, and are associated with member 64.

    
    
    
    
    

To remove attribute associations, use the same process as for updating them, plus the following steps:

• In the Dimension Build Properties tab of the Field Properties dialog box, select Delete when the field is empty for the attribute field. (This option is ignored if Allow association changes is not selected.)

• Leave the field empty or NULL in the data source.

In many cases, you can use one rules file in a dimension build operation to dynamically build attribute dimensions for numeric ranges and to associate the members of the base dimension with the ranges. In the following situations, however, you must use two rules files: one to build the attribute dimension and one to associate the attributes with the appropriate members of the base dimension:

• When the range size is different for different members.

  For example, you can define small ranges for towns and cities with smaller populations, larger ranges for mid-sized cities, and ranges greater than 1,000,000 for cities with large populations.

• When the ranges are members of a multilevel attribute dimension.

  For example, the Population attribute dimension can have level 1 members that categorize the population ranges as Towns, Cities, and Metropolitan Areas.

The Population attribute dimension shown below demonstrates both situations. Population is a multilevel, numeric attribute dimension with level 0 members representing ranges of different sizes.

Figure 15-7 Numeric Attribute Dimension with Different-Sized Ranges

You must use one rules file to build the Population dimension and another rules file to associate the Population dimension members as attributes of members of the base dimension.

The information in this section describes areas unique to defining and associating attributes through a dimension build.

Getting Ready

• Before running a dimension build, you must define the attribute member name formats for the outline.

  See Setting Member Names in Attribute Dimensions.

• Defining new attribute dimensions in a rules file is different from defining new standard dimensions in a rules file.

Defining Fields in Rules Files

Rules files that are used to build single-level attribute dimensions require fewer field types than rules files that build and associate members of multilevel attribute dimensions.

• For single-level attribute dimensions, define the field that contains the attribute values as the field to be associated with the members of the base dimension. A dimension build uses the defined field to add new members to the attribute dimension.

  See Associating Attributes in a Dimension Build.

• For multilevel attribute dimensions, Essbase requires fields that define each generation or level in the attribute dimension and fields that define the associations. Use the new field type, Attribute Parent, to identify fields that are parent members for the attribute members being associated.

Controlling Adding New Attribute Members

When Essbase encounters attribute data values that are not members of the attribute dimension, it automatically adds the values as new members.

To prevent adding new members to attribute dimensions, select the Do not create members option for the attribute dimension.

Controlling Associations

You can control the following associations:

• Making changes to attribute associations

  Select the Allow association changes option for the attribute dimension.

• Enabling automatic association of base members with attributes that represent ranges of values

  Define the size of the range.

  See Set Dimension Build Field Type Information.

• Concurrent attribute associations

  Use any build method except the Add as build methods.

  See Understanding Build Methods.