Dimension and Dimension Item

Recommended to prefix with DIM_.

The following values are supported:

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DIM_STANDARD_TYPE_

  (standard dimension)

  This is the normal dimension type.

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DIM_SUPPORTIVE_TYPE_

(supportive dimension)

A supportive dimension can only be used for specific purposes, like e.g. supporting List of Values functionality in Info Services. It is not possible to connect a supportive dimension to a fact.

The typical usage is to enable List of Values functionality in Info Services. Assume that there is a dimension called DIM_X with the items ID, CODE, DESCRIPTION, GROUP, GROUP_DESCRIPTION, SUB_GROUP.

Since a dimension is represented by a single view it is only possible to support one set of List of values items according to core development principles. The obvious choice is to support the CODE item. But now if it is requested to also support List of Values for the item GROUP in Info Services then there must be a separate view that shows e.g. GROUP, GROUP_DESCRIPTION and SUB_GROUP. This view has to have its own column comments that tells the core framework how to handle List of Values. In IFS Business Reporter a new dimension is defined but with the supportive dimension type (Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DIM_SUPPORTIVE_TYPE_). This view can be used as a reference for a dimension item, like e.g. the item representing GROUP, to make it possible to support List of values in Info Services.

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DIM_INHERITED_TYPE_

  (inherited dimension)

  An Inherited dimension can be used to create a copy of an existing dimension. The Inherited dimension is given a unique Dimension Id and will when deployed automatically inherit all details information of the source dimension.

  One example are time dimensions like DIM_PLANNED_SHIP_DATE and DIM_PAYMENT_DATE, that inherit from dimension DIM_BI_TIME.

Valid only for Dimensions of type Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DIM_INHERITED_TYPE_.

Specifies the character used as separator between key values defining the unique dimension identity.

If e.g. the unique identity is defined by company and account, the dimension identity is suggested to be defined as string build according to ID='<company>^<account>'. The IdValueSeparator in this case is the character '^'.

The idea is to be able to display how the current dimension identity is built, and in his case how sub parts of the identity is separated.

Specifies the NULL value representation for the dimension.

Assume that the identity of the dimension is as follows, ID='<column1>^<column2>'

The Data Mart version of this dimension should now contain extra NULL value specific records:

SELECT <column1>||'^'||<column2>  ID,
....
FROM <dimension_table>
UNION ALL
SELECT <column1>||'^'||'#'  ID,
....
FROM <dimension_parent_table>
SELECT '#'||^'||'#' ID,
....
FROM BI_DUAL_TAB
 

The '#' character is thus the NULL value representation.

The value can be one of:

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DM_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (Data Mart)

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.ONLINE_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (On Line)

The data access type defined on fact level will be the one used also for connected dimensions. A dimension must support the data access types defined for the facts/information sources that it is connected to.

Normally defined as <DimensionId>.<ViewColumnName> e.g. DIM_ACCOUNT.CODE

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DATE_DATA_TYPE_
• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.NUMBER_DATA_TYPE_
• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.TEXT_DATA_TYPE_

Specified as e.g. \Structure Repeater Items

Default value is NULL.

Can e.g. be used to distinguish add on items. The character' \' defines a sub folder. The '\'  character is not necessary if only one sub folder level is defined.

Example 1:

The dimension DIM_COMPANY_BASE is defined by the module ENTERP. The module ACCRUL creates a child company dimension named DIM_COMPANY. We want to add some if the items in DIM_COMPANY_BASE to the dimension DIM_COMPANY. So when defining these items in DIM_COMPANY we have to specify that the AddOnDimensionId as DIM_COMPANY_BASE.

The added items are part of DIM_COMPANY but the data will be fetched from DIM_COMPANY_BASE.

This is an example of getting items from another static dependent dimension.

Example 2:

When defining items for dimension DIM_ACCOUNT we want to display some items that actually belong to the child dimension DIM_ACC_STRUCT_ACCOUNT. The pre-requisite is of course that the child dimension exists (it is actually defined by another component than DIM_ACCOUNT).

The AddOnDimensionId will in this case be DIM_ACC_STRUCT_ACCOUNT.

This is an example of putting items from a child dimension to its parent dimension.

If we look at the two cases define for attribute AddOnDimensionId we get the following:

Example 1:

Add On Def Owned By Id is defined as DIM_COMPANY since DIM_COMPANY defines get if the item.

Example 2:

Add On Def Owned By Id is defined as DIM_ACC_STRUCT_ACCOUNT since ACC_STRUCT_ACCOUNT  puts the item to DIM_ACCOUNT.

Note: Only to be defined if the current dimension item can act as a parent item to another dimension.

E.g. the dimension item DIM_COMPANY.CODE can act as a parent item to many dimensions of financial nature but to make things work properly in Info Services the column name should be COMPANY and not CODE. So for DIM_COMPANY.CODE we specify DIM_COMPANY.COMPANY as PublishedLovItemRef.

It is also important to make sure that the OwnItemId in XlrDimensionParent points to a column that has the same name as the one pointed out by PublishedLovItemReference, for dimensions that have the current item (e.g. DIM_COMPANY.CODE) as parent item.

The general List of CValues support for e.g. DIM_ACCOUNT in Info Services will be related to the item DIM_ACCOUNT.CODE. The PublishedLovDimension for this item will define the view to be used, e.g. DIM_ACCOUNT_OL.

Parent information for DIM_ACCOUNT gives that the item DIM_COMPANY.CODE is the parent item. The OwnId in the parent info will point to DIM_ACCOUNT.COMPANY and it defines the column name COMPANY. The List of Values reference for DIM_ACCOUNT.CODE is now set to DIM_ACCOUNT_OL(COMPANY).
If a company based parameter is also used then the List of Values for this item is define via PublishedLovDimension for DIM_COMPANY.CODE -> DIM_COMPANY.COMPANY -> view_name DIM_COMPANY_OL and the PublishedLovItemRef will supply the column name COMPANY.

A parameter, in IFS Business Reporter, named MyCompany will now get the internal name COMPANY and the List of Values reference DIM_COMPANY_OL

A parameter, in IFS Business Reporter, named MyAccount will get the internal name MyAccount and the List of Values reference DIM_ACCOUNT_OL(COMPANY)

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.STRUCTURE_ID_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure identity.
  Mandatory in target dimension as well as in all structure specific dimensions.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.STRUCTURE_ID_DESC_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure description.

  Mandatory in target dimension as well as in the structure specific dimension.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.LEVEL_ID_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure level identity.
  Might not exist.

  If available it is mandatory in the target dimension and in the structure level dimension.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.LEVEL_ID_DESC_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure level description.

  Might not exist.

  If available it is mandatory in the target dimension and in the structure level dimension.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.PARENT_LEVEL_ID_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure level parent identity.

  Might not exist.

  If available it's mandatory in the structure level dimension.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.NODE_ID_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure node identity.

  Mandatory in target dimension as well as in the structure specific node and leaf dimensions.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.NODE_ID_DESC_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure node description.

  Mandatory in target dimension as well as in the structure specific node dimension

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.PARENT_NODE_ID_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure node parent identity.

  Mandatory in the structure specific node dimension

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.LEAF_ID_ITEM_

  Defines the item representing the structure leaf identity.

  Mandatory in the target dimensions as well as in the structure specific leaf dimension.

  This item should not be visible to the client.

• Xlr_Structure_Util_API.ORDINARY_ITEM_

  Defines a non structure item.

  It is only normally only used behind the scenes by the framework and does actually never have to be set in Metadata.

It should be defined for items that are added to the target dimension.

The value can be one of:

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DM_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (Data Mart)

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.ONLINE_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (On Line)

The value can be one of:

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DERIVED_ITEM_HINT_TYPE_

  (derived item)

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.INDEX_ITEM_HINT_TYPE_

  (indexed item)

The value can be one of:

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DM_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (Data Mart)

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.ONLINE_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (On Line)

The value can be one of:

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.DM_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (Data Mart)

• Xlr_Meta_Util_API.ONLINE_SOURCE_TYPE_

  (On Line)