Bookshelf v7.5: Working with Physical Tables

A physical table is an object in the Physical layer of the Administration Tool that corresponds to a table in a physical database. Physical tables are usually imported from a database or another data source, and they provide the metadata necessary for the Siebel Analytics Server to access the tables with SQL requests.

Object Types

In addition to importing physical tables, you can create virtual physical tables in the Physical layer, using the Object Type option in the Physical Table dialog box. A virtual physical table can be an alias, a stored procedure, or a Select statement. Virtual physical tables have several uses. You can use them to create the equivalent of a database view; that is, the virtual table generated by some query expression. You can use them to behave like a synonym; that is, a table identical to another table but with a different name. You can also use them to define a portion of the domain of a group of fragmented aggregate tables, as described in Define a Physical Layer Table with a Select Statement to Complete the Domain. Creating virtual tables can provide the Siebel Analytics Server and the underlying databases with the proper metadata to perform some advanced query requests.

The Object Type drop-down list in the General tab of the Physical Table dialog box allows you to specify the physical table object type. Table 12 provides a description of the available object types.

Table 12. Object Type Descriptions
Object Type	Description
None	Specifies that the physical table object represents a physical table.
Alias	Specifies that the physical table object is an alias to another table. When you select this option, the text pane to the right of the Object Type drop-down list becomes active, allowing you to enter the alias name. The alias you enter must be a valid physical table in the database specified in the connection pool.
Stored Proc	Specifies that the physical table object is a stored procedure. When you select this option, the text pane to the right of the Object Type drop-down list becomes active, allowing you to enter the stored procedure. Requests for this table will call the stored procedure. For stored procedures that are database specific, you can select the database type from the drop-down list above the text pane. At run time, if a stored procedure has been defined for the corresponding database's database type, then the stored procedure will be executed; otherwise, the database's default configuration will be executed.
Select	Specifies that the physical table object is a Select statement. When you select this option, the text pane to the right of the Object Type drop-down list becomes active, allowing you to enter the select statement. Requests for this table will execute the Select statement. When you select this option, you need to manually create the table columns. The column names must match the ones specified in the Select statement. Column aliases are required for advanced SQL functions, such as aggregates and case statements. If a table with a Select object type is to be joined to any other physical table, you need to include the appropriate foreign keys in the Select statement. For Select statements that are database specific, you can select the database type from the drop-down list above the text pane. At run time, if a Select statement has been defined for the corresponding database's database type, then the Select statement will be executed; otherwise, the database's default configuration will be executed.