Using Functions in Expressions

Definition: Function

A function is a predefined calculation that returns a value. A number of built-in functions are provided, including:

• Numeric functions -- You can use these functions to make calculations and analyze data.

• Date functions -- You can use these functions to manipulate dates.

• Text functions -- You can use these functions to join characters or lines, search for or extract a group of characters, or calculate the length of the text.

Using functions in the OLAP DML

You can use a function wherever you need to use an expression in a command or function, or even within another expression. To include a function in an expression, specify the name of the function followed by its arguments enclosed in parentheses.

In addition to using the predefined OLAP DML functions, you can define a program that behaves like a function by returning a value.