_Dimensions

The _Dimensions table describes metadata relating to the dimensions such as name, description, data source, and dimension type. One row contains data at dimension level for one dimension.

A single hierarchy with the same name as the dimension can be loaded by specifying Param1 and Param2. If a single hierarchy with a different name is desired, or multiple hierarchies are desired then Param1 and Param2 in _Dimensions must be NULL and the hierarchies should be defined in _Hierarchies.

This table describes _Dimensions:

Column Type Description
DimensionName String(50) Name of the dimension
DimensionDescription String(150) Description of the dimension
SourceId Integer Data source of the dimension. This links to the SourceId key of the _Sources table which describes the details of the source.
Param1 Text First parameter.

For DimensionSource = 1, this is the relational table source of the dimension data, the members’ table. This can be a sub-query. This must be NULL if _Hierarchies contains hierarchies for this dimension.
Param2 Text Second parameter.

For DimensionSource = 1, this is the relational table source of the dimension relations data. This might be the same table as the members’ table found in Param1. NULL if there are no relations for the relational source. This can be a sub-query. This must be NULL if _Hierarchies contains hierarchies for this dimension.
DimensionType Integer Enumerator for the ODBC type of the dimension.
  • 0 = Unknown
  • 1 = Time
  • 2 = Measure
  • 3 = Other
  • (4 is not used)
  • 5 = Quantitative
  • 6 = Accounts
  • 7 = Customers
  • 8 = Products
  • 9 = Scenario
  • 10 = Utility
  • 11 = Currency
  • 12 = Rates
  • 13 = Channel
  • 14 = Promotion
  • 15 = Organization
  • 16 = Bill Of Materials
  • 17 = Geography
DefaultElement String(71) If an element of a dimension is not specified, take it to be this one. NULL if there is no default element. If specified default element is not present in dimension, no default element property is created and a warning is issued in the log file.
FlatView Boolean Flags if the view of the hierarchy of the members of the dimension is flat or not.

True = Flat; use straight list of elements that does not show hierarchy, although parent elements can still be expanded to show their children.

False = Not flat; use expanded hierarchical diagram.

InvertedHierarchy Boolean Flags if the hierarchy of the member is displayed inverted.

True = Show Inverted Hierarchy, that is, show parents below list of children.

False = Show Hierarchy with parents first and children listed below them.

AccessCube String(50) Name of the access cube of the dimension. NULL if the dimension has no access cube.
LoadFlags BigInteger Flags controlling the dimension load. The following powers of 2 flag the action indicated:
  • 1 = Do not break the import on the first unresolved error that occurs.
  • 2 = Document each error that occurs.

Combinations of these can be made adding their values together.

The default value is 0. A NULL value is interpreted as 0.

ExtendedProps Text The extended properties of the dimension expressed as an XML document string. NULL means the dimension has no extended properties.
Comment Text User defined comment.

General information

The rows of the _Dimensions table are read into memory. The rows are those for which there is a loading operation to carry out in the _Jobs table. These _Dimensions rows are linked from the _Jobs table through the JobObject column via DimensionName in the _Dimensions table.