Viewing and Debugging Analytic Models

This chapter provides an overview of the Analytic Model Viewer and discusses how to:

• View analytic model properties.

• Use Analytic Model Viewer alongside PeopleSoft Application Designer.

• Use the application log fence to provide additional debugging information.

Understanding the Analytic Model Viewer

The Analytic Model Viewer is a debugging tool with which you can view intermediate results from calculations and modify data when testing calculations. This tool is provided in the runtime environment through the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture (PeopleSoft PIA). Using the Analytic Model Viewer, you can view metadata (such as virtual data cubes) that may not appear to the end user, and edit analytic model data to see how your results would then change.

Even though you create analytic model definitions in PeopleSoft Application Designer, you need to view an analytic instance of the analytic model during runtime to determine whether the analytic calculation engine is performing its calculations as intended. Simply viewing an analytic instance within the application during runtime is not sufficient, because some parts and data of the analytic model may not be visible to end users. Using the Analytic Model Viewer you can view, analyze, and debug all cube collections in the model. The Analytic Model Viewer operates during runtime because it depends on the analytic calculation engine (for calculation) and the analytic server (for data transformation). In the Analytic Model Viewer, you view a specific analytic instance of the analytic model.

Although you can modify data from within the Analytic Model Viewer, you cannot change metadata, including rules, from this environment. Conversely, from within the analytic model in PeopleSoft Application Designer, you can change metadata but cannot change the data itself. The ideal solution is to simultaneously view the design time analytic model, in PeopleSoft Application Designer, and the runtime analytic model, in the Analytic Model Viewer. This arrangement enables you to compare calculation results, and to change either data or metadata, based upon your needs.

After you load an analytic instance for use in the Analytic Model Viewer, closing the viewer does not automatically unload the analytic instance. You must do that manually from the Analytic Instance Load/Unload page.

Note. You can view causes, effects, and inputs in both PeopleSoft Application Designer and the Analytic Model Viewer. PeopleSoft Application Designer displays the causes, effects, and inputs of data cubes and cube collections. The Analytic Model Viewer displays not only causes, effects, inputs, but also displays overrides (which are determined during runtime), thus providing a more detailed display of causes, effects, and inputs.

The Analytic Model Viewer utility is available only to system administrators. You cannot change its security settings to make it available to other users.

Viewing Analytic Model Properties

This section provides an overview of the Analytic Model Viewer and discusses how to :

• View analytic models.

• View and debug cube collection properties.

• View and debug data cube properties.

• View cell properties.

• View dimension properties.

• View user function properties.

• View organizer properties.

Understanding Analytic Model Properties

If you have already created an analytic instance and do not need to change any of its settings, you can use the Analytic Model Viewer to search for, load, and open the analytic instance. (If the instance is not loaded, clicking its name both loads and opens it; if it is loaded, clicking its name opens the instance.) When you open an analytic instance, the Analytic Model Viewer opens to a Properties tab, which displays the parts, properties, and data of the current analytic instance.

See Creating, Deleting, and Copying Analytic Instances.

See Loading and Unloading Analytic Instances.

This example shows the Properties tab of the Analytic Model Viewer:

Part browser	Contains hierarchies that you use to view and debug the parts of the current analytic instance. This part browser is similar to the one in PeopleSoft Application Designer. For example, if you drill into a cube collection it expands to display the specific cube collections in the current analytic instance. You can then expand each cube collection further into data cubes and dimensions. When you click the name of any part, its associated properties appear on the right side of the page, in the Part Property dialog. See PeopleSoft Application Designer Window Components for Creating Analytic Model Definitions.
Part Properties dialog	Displays the properties of the selected part of the current analytic instance.
Analytic grid	Displays the data for the part selected in the Part browser. For example, if you select the Product Sales data cube, an analytic grid displaying Product Sales data appears. You can update the data in the analytic grid and recalculate the analytic instance. This analytic grid looks and feels like the analytic grid that you add to PeopleSoft pages to display data from the analytic server. You can use it to view, edit, and drag and drop data from an analytic model. See Creating Analytic Grids. See Working with Analytic Grids.
Debugging tab	Contains options that enable you to audit the selected data cube, or from one to three data cubes from the selected cube collection. You can use this feature to view All Causes, All Effects, All Inputs, Circular System, Direct Causes, and Direct Effects. Like the Properties tab, the Debugging tab includes a Part browser, a Part Property dialog, and an analytic grid. In addition, it displays an audit grid that displays the audited data when you click the View button.

Pages Used to View Analytic Model Properties

Viewing Analytic Models

To view an analytic model through the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

   The Analytic Model Viewer page appears.

2. Select the name of an analytic instance.

   The Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page appears.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page:

Resolve circular formulas	Indicates whether circular formulas will be resolved. See Working with Circular Formulas and Circular Systems.
Maximum iteration in value	Indicates maximum iteration in value.
Maximum change in value	Indicates maximum change in value.
Warning circular formulas	Specifies whether the model contains circular formulas.
Notes	Lists notes related to this analytic model that the developer entered when creating the model. See Entering Notes for an Analytic Model Definition's Parts.
Reload Model	Reloads the analytic model. PeopleSoft recommends that you reload the analytic model after you update the analytic model definition so that you can view the resulting changes.

Viewing and Debugging Cube Collection Properties

This section discusses how to:

• View cube collections and cube collection properties.

• Debug cube collections.

• Sort and filter cube collections.

See Understanding the Relationship of Analytic Types to Analytic Models.

Viewing Cube Collections and Cube Collection Properties

To view cube collections and cube collection properties:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a cube collection whose properties you want to view.

   A Cube Collection Properties panel appears showing the properties of the selected cube collection.

   Note. The analytic grid underneath the Cube Collection Properties panel displays the cube collection data itself. You can drag and drop data cubes and dimensions within this grid; or view selected slices of your data by choosing from the slice bar.

See Creating Analytic Grids.

This is an example of the Cube Collection Properties panel within the Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page:

Dimensions	Lists all of the dimensions that are attached to the data cubes within the cube collection.
Main Record	Lists the main record to which the cube collection is mapped.
Aggregate Record	Lists the aggregate record that stores the cube collection's aggregate data, if applicable.
Notes	Lists notes related to this cube collection that the developer entered when creating the model. See Entering Notes for an Analytic Model Definition's Parts.
Filter/Sort Criteria	Click to displays a secondary window enabling you to filter and/or sort a selected dimension within the cube collection.
Cell Properties	Click to displays a secondary window from which you can view the properties of a specified cell. You can view cell properties for data cubes and cube collections. See Viewing Cell Properties.
Save Recalculate	Click to recalculates the results of your analytic instance, if you modified it.

Debugging Cube Collections

To debug a cube collection:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a cube collection whose properties you want to view.

3. Select the Debugging tab.

   The part browser, filtering and sorting features, and main grid on the Debugging tab work like those features on the Properties tab. However, this tab also enables you to audit the data.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Debugging page:

Select up to 3 cubes for comparison	Select from one to three cubes in the cube collection to audit.
Audit Type	Select from one of the audit types: all causes, all effects, all inputs, circular system, direct causes, direct effects.
View	Click to displays the results of the audit in an audit grid below the analytic grid.

See Auditing Data Cubes at Design Time.

Sorting and Filtering Cube Collections

To sort and filter cube collections:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a cube collection whose properties you want to view.

3. Click the Filter/Sort Criteria button.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Filter/Sort Criteria page:

Members are only filtered when the filter condition is met. In addition, if an aggregate member is filtered, all its children are also filtered.

Viewing and Debugging Data Cube Properties

This section discusses how to:

• View data cubes and data cube properties.

• Debug data cubes.

See Creating Data Cubes.

Viewing Data Cubes and Data Cube Properties

To view data cubes and data cube properties:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a data cube whose properties you want to view.

   The analytic grid underneath the Cube Properties panel appears showing the data cube's values. As with cube collections, you can use drag and drop to manipulate the analytic grid. You can also view slices of your data by choosing from the drop-down lists of dimensions.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page, Cube Properties panel:

Format Type	Displays the format type of the data cube—such as Number, Char, Date, and so on. These format types are attributes of the cube and are defined within PeopleSoft Application Designer. See Understanding the Relationship Between Field Definition Attributes and Data Cube Formats.
Virtual Cube	Indicates whether the selected data cube is a virtual cube. See Virtual Data Cubes.
Dimensions	Lists the dimensions that are attached to the selected data cube.
Calculation Aggregate	Indicates whether the analytic calculation engine calculates aggregates for the data cube.
Rule	Displays any rules that the analytic calculation engine uses to calculate the current data cube.
Notes	Lists notes related to this data cube that the developer entered when creating the model. See Entering Notes for an Analytic Model Definition's Parts.
Cell Properties	Click to displays a secondary window from which you can view the properties of a specified cell. You can view cell properties for data cubes and cube collections. See Viewing Cell Properties.
Save Recalculate	Click to recalculates the results of your analytic instance if you modified it.

Debugging Data Cubes

To debug a data cube:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a data cube whose properties you want to view.

3. Select the Debugging tab.

Note. You can also audit data cubes at design time.

See Auditing Data Cubes at Design Time.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Debugging page, Data Cubes panel:

Cell Properties	Click to displays a secondary window from which you can view the properties of a specified cell. You can view cell properties for data cubes and cube collections.
Audit Type	Select from one of the audit types: all causes, all effects, all inputs, circular system, direct causes, direct effects.
View	Displays the results of the audit in an audit grid below the analytic grid.

See Auditing Data Cubes at Design Time.

Viewing Cell Properties

To view cell properties:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a data cube whose properties you want to view.

3. Select the Debugging tab.

4. Click the Cell Properties button.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Cell Properties page:

Select Cube	Choose which data cube in the selected cube collection you want to view. Note. The Select Cube option is enabled only if you activated the Analytic Model Viewer - Cell Properties page while viewing a cube collection.
Dimension Name	Displays the names of dimensions attached to the selected cube.
Member	Enter the member in the selected dimension whose properties you want to view.
Display Properties	Click to displays the properties—including cell type, calculation, calculation dimensions, reason for calculation choice, and rule—of the selected cell.
Return	Click to go back to the main page.

Viewing Dimension Properties

This section discusses how to view dimension properties.

See Creating Dimensions.

To view dimension properties:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a dimension whose properties you want to view.

   After you select a dimension in the part browser, a Dimension Properties panel appears showing the properties of the selected dimension.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page, Dimension Properties panel:

Total Member Name	Displays a different value depending on a fairly complex set of factors. See Defining Dimension Properties.
Aggregate Rule	Displays the user function that calculates the dimension's aggregate fields, if applicable. See Defining Dimension Properties. See Working with Overrides.
Notes	Lists notes related to this dimension that the developer entered when creating the model. See Entering Notes for an Analytic Model Definition's Parts.
Dimension Members	Underneath the Dimension Properties panel are the dimension members. In many cases, you see a simple list of dimension members. In some cases, however, a hierarchy has been created for the dimension and you see a tree-like structure. In this case, you open and close each branch and leaf, and see each member of this hierarchy.
Tree Properties	Click to display a secondary page that displays additional properties of the selected tree, including: Tree name Node name Start level Discard level SetID Record name Effective date

Viewing User Function Properties

This section discusses how to view user functions.

See Creating Rules, Formulas, and User Functions.

To view user function properties:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select a user function whose properties you want to view.

   The Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page, User Function Properties panel appears.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page, User Function Properties panel:

Rule	Displays the user function's rule.
Notes	Lists notes related to this user function that the developer entered when creating the model. See Entering Notes for an Analytic Model Definition's Parts.

Viewing Organizer Properties

This section discusses how to view organizer properties.

See Organizers.

See Creating Organizers.

To view organizer properties:

1. Select PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration, Analytic Model Viewer.

2. Select an organizer whose properties you want to view.

   The Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page, Organizer Properties panel appears.

This is an example of the Analytic Model Viewer - Properties page, Organizer Properties panel:

Using Analytic Model Viewer Alongside PeopleSoft Application Designer

It can be profitable to use the Analytic Model Viewer side by side with PeopleSoft Application Designer. This approach enables you to update the analytic model within PeopleSoft Application Designer and then quickly see the results of those updates by reloading the analytic instance within the Analytic Model Viewer. This approach enables you to change both the data and metadata for your model at the same time.

To use the Analytic Model Viewer alongside PeopleSoft Application Designer:

1. Create an analytic model.

   See Creating Analytic Model Definitions.

2. Specify what analytic model works with what analytic type definition.

   See Defining an Analytic Type.

3. Access the Create Analytic Instance page, and create an analytic instance based upon the analytic type definition.

   See Creating, Deleting, and Copying Analytic Instances.

4. Access the Analytic Model Viewer, and open the analytic instance you created.

   See Viewing Analytic Model Properties.

5. From within PeopleSoft Application Designer, modify the analytic model.

6. From within the Analytic Model Viewer, click the Reload Model button.

Using the Application Log Fence

In addition to the model viewer, you can also use the application log fence settings to cause error messages created on the analytic server to be written to the analytic server log file.

If you set the application log fence to 3 or above, all the detailed messages created on the analytic server to be sent back to the application server are also logged in the analytic server log file.

In addition, if you set the application log fence to 4 or above, all tracing information is logged to the analytic server log file.

See Also

Using Application Logging