Creating and Selecting Personal Variables

Personal variables simplify complex member selections. After being defined, you can leverage personal variables when you are presented with the corresponding dimension and database connection. Personal variables are containers for an ad hoc collections of otherwise unrelated dimension members.

Defining a personal variable does not include the personal variable in a query. You must select the personal variable from the Dimension Browser when defining the query.

  To create a personal variable:

  1. Select File, then Preferences.

    The User Preferences dialog box is displayed, with the active user or group displayed in the Active Preferences list.

  2. Click the Databases tab to make it current.

  3. Select a database connection name, and click Edit.

    The Database Preferences dialog box is displayed.

  4. Click Connect.

    The Personal Variable and Point of View tabs are enabled.

  5. Click Personal Variable.

    The Personal Variable tab lists all currently defined personal variables for the database connection.

  6. Click Add.

    The Personal Variable dialog box is displayed.

  7. Enter a name for the personal variable in Name.

  8. Select a dimension from the data source from the Dimension list.

    The Dimension Browser for the selected dimension is displayed.

  9. Select the dimension members to be included in the personal variable.

    All conventional Dimension Browser methods and options are supported.

  10. Click OK.

    The Personal Variable tab is displayed and the personal variable definition is listed. Whenever the database connection and dimension is used, the personal variable definition is displayed as a selection option in the Dimension Browser Browse panel.

  To use a personal variable in a query, select the personal variable definition from the Dimension Browser Browse panel.