Creating Attribute Dimensions

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 Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

Describe attribute dimensions
Add attribute dimensions to outlines
Compare attribute dimensions to other design options

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 Attribute Dimensions Overview

Lightbolt

Lightbolt 365 A Drive Type: Internal, Drive Size: 150

Lightbolt 365 S Drive Type: Internal, Drive Size: 120

Lightbolt 540 A Drive Type: External, Drive Size: 150

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 Attribute Dimension Benefits

Attribute dimensions Attribute crosstab report

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 Attribute Calculations Dimension

System-defined
Label only
Dynamic Calc
Not displayed in Outline Editor

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Adding Attribute Dimensions to Outlines

Standard dimensions
with associated attribute
dimensions

Attribute dimensions

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 Associating Attribute Dimensions

Attribute dimension association rules:

Associate with sparse standard dimensions.
Associate with a base dimension before saving the outline.
Place last in the outline.
Associate with only one base dimension.

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Assigning Attribute Members to Base Dimension
Members
Member association rules:
For each attribute dimension, associate no more than one
attribute per base member.
For each attribute dimension, associate all attributes at the
same level in the base dimension.
Associate only level 0 attribute members.

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 Design Considerations

Secondary rollup
Attribute dimension
UDAs

Standard dimensions

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 Design Considerations: Database Size

Standard Attribute Secondary UDAs

Dimensions Dimensions Hierarchies
Great impact No impact Some impact No impact
Database Data is not stored. Additional Member properties
architecture is You do not have to consolidation require no
changed, and reference attributes nodes are stored. additional storage.
database size is in data loads.
increased.
During data load,
you must reference
all standard
dimensions.

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 Design Considerations:
Batch Calculation Performance
Standard Attribute Secondary UDAs
Dimensions Dimensions Hierarchies
Great impact No impact Some impact No impact
Expanded Calculations are Additional By themselves,
database dynamic. consolidation UDAs perform no
architecture nodes are inherent
requires increased calculated. calculations.
calculation time.

Copyright 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

 Design Considerations: Report Layout

Standard Attribute Secondary UDAs

Dimensions Dimensions Hierarchies
Are easy to use Are not displayed Are easy to use Are never
in reports by default in reports displayed in
Can make When displayed, Are displayed as reports
reporting difficult behave like alternate Can be used to
(if too many standard hierarchy paths filter lists of
standard dimensions in standard members
dimensions) dimensions

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 Design Considerations: Report Performance

Standard Attribute Secondary UDAs

Dimensions Dimensions Hierarchies
Medium to great Great potential Minor impact No impact
impact impact Results are UDAs do not affect
Too many standard Attributes are typically stored and retrievals.
dimensions slow calculated accessed as usual.
overall dynamically,
performance. sometimes causing
slow reporting
performance.

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 Quiz

Select the statements that are true about attribute dimensions.

1. Attribute dimensions are calculated dynamically.
2. You can associate attribute dimensions with any standard
dimension.
3. The Attribute Calculations dimension is displayed in the
outline.
4. Attribute dimension types include text, date, numeric, and
Boolean.

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 Quiz

In your outline, you associate the same attribute with both a

level 0 member and a level 1 member of a standard dimension,
and then validate the outline.
1. The outline is validated.
2. The outline is not validated.

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 Quiz

Select the database elements upon which attribute dimensions

have an impact.
1. Database size
2. Batch calculation performance
3. Report layouts
4. Report performance

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 Summary

In this lesson, you should have learned to:

Describe attribute dimensions
Add attribute dimensions to outlines
Compare attribute dimensions to other design options

Copyright 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.