Overview: Defining OLAP DML objects

What are object definitions?

It is important to understand the distinction between an object's definition and its data. An object's definition is its description in the workspace dictionary of the analytic workspace. An object's data is the value or values that are associated with that definition. All objects have definitions. However, not all objects have data.

For example, a SALES variable that is dimensioned by MONTH, PRODUCT, and DISTRICT has a definition for itself as a variable object. The SALES variable is also associated with the definitions for its three dimensions. However, the values of SALES, MONTH, PRODUCT, and DISTRICT are not part of the definitions.

Other objects, such as programs (stored procedures), do not have data.

Defining OLAP DML objects using OLAP DML commands

Once you have created an analytic workspace, you can begin defining OLAP DML objects. To define any OLAP DML object, use the DEFINE command. The simplified syntax for the DEFINE command is shown below.

DEFINE name object-type attributes [DATABASE dbname]

The name argument specifies the name for the new definition.

Important: Because each analytic workspace has its own dictionary of OLAP DML objects, you can define objects with the same name in more than one analytic workspace. However, to prevent unexpected results, you should take care to provide unique names for objects in separate analytic workspaces that will be active at the same time.

The object-type argument specifies the type of OLAP DML object that is being defined. The default is VARIABLE. You can specify any of the valid object types as outlined in "OLAP DML objects you define using the DEFINE command".

The attributes argument specifies the properties of the object. Attributes are different for each type of object. The attributes are listed in the entry for each object type.

The DATABASE dbname phrase specifies the name of an attached analytic workspace in which you want to define the object. If you do not specify an analytic workspace name, then the current analytic workspace is used.

For the complete syntax for the DEFINE command, see the entry for the command in THE OLAP DML Reference.

OLAP DML objects you define using the DEFINE command

The OLAP DML data objects types that you define using the DEFINE command are outlined in the following table.

Object Type	Description
DIMENSION	An object that contains a list of values that provide categories for data. A dimension acts as an index for identifying values of a variable. A dimension is similar to a key in a relational analytic workspace.
RELATION	An object that establishes a correspondence between the values of a given dimension and the values of that dimension or other dimensions in the analytic workspace.
VARIABLE	An object that stores data. The data type of a variable indicates the kind of data that it contains.
COMPOSITE	A named list of dimension-value combinations, in which a given combination has one value taken from each of the dimensions on which the composite is based. Note: An unnamed composite is automatically created when you define a variable with some dimensions specified as sparse. An unnamed composite is an internal object; it is not considered an OLAP DML object.
FORMULA	An object that represents a stored calculation, expression, or procedure that produces a value.
MODEL	An object that contains a set of interrelated equations that are used to calculate data and assign it to a variable or dimension value. In most cases, models are used when working with financial data.
PROGRAM	An object that contains a series of OLAP DML commands. A program is a stored procedure that executes a set of related commands.
VALUESET	An object that contains a list of dimension values for a particular dimension.
AGGMAP (AGGREGATION MAP)	An object that contains a set of interrelated commands that are used to specify which data in a variable should be aggregated (with the AGGREGATE command) and which data should be calculated on the fly (with the AGGREGATE function).