Oracle OLAP Analytic Workspace XML objects Oracle Database Tips by Donald Burleson

AW Objects Created by XML Metadata

The Analytic Workspace created from the XML metadata leads to the creation of many AW objects. They are as follows:

AWObject - This is a super class that describes objects that have attributes. This object is loadable from an external data source, such as relational data. Examples of AWObject include dimensions and measures.

Attribute - This is an object that describes the characteristic features of another object.

Dimension - This is an ordered list of dimension members. Dimension is the core of the multi-dimensional model.

Cube - This is a logical object that describes the dimensionality of objects. Cubes are composed of one or more dimensions.

Hierarchy - A hierarchy is a way of structuring dimension members. At the bottom of a hierarchy lies the detail level. If a dimension member is at the top of the hierarchy, then the parent value is null.

MemberSelection - This is an ordered list of dimension members. A MemberSelection is useful for identifying a specific portion of a cube.

Level - This is a MemberSelection that describes a portion of a hierarchy. In a level, no parent can be a child of another member of the same level.

HierarchyLevelAssociation - This is another abstract object that provides a link between a hierarchy and its levels. The end-user does not commonly work with this object.

Measure - A Measure is the object that holds the user's data. The dimensions, hierarchies etc. all provide the logical framework that holds the Measure.

SolveDefinition - This represents a set of computations to be applied to one or more measures. SolveDefinition represents the real value of the Oracle OLAP system.
Useful Views

The following new views allow the user to examine Analytic Workspace for more detailed information, including data volume, sparsity of data, and access:

DBA_AW_DIMENSIONS
DBA_AW_HIERARCHIES
DBA_AW_MEASURES
DBA_AW_PARTITIONS
DBA_AW_MATERIALIZATION
DBA_AW_SPARSITY
DBA_AW_TRAFFIC
DBA_AW_CALCULATION_HISTORY

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