Set a Measure Column's Properties

Use this topic to set the properties for a new or existing measure column.

Use this information to help you set a column's properties:

  • Type - Indicates the column's data type. Use caution when changing the data type. Setting the values to data types that are incorrect in the underlying data source might cause unexpected results. If there are any data type mismatches, correct them in the semantic model or reimport the columns that have mismatched data types.

    If you reimport columns, you also need to remap any logical column sources that reference the remapped columns. The data type of a logical column in the business model must match the data type of its physical column source. The Oracle Analytics query engine passes these logical column data types to client applications.

    Longvarchar and longvarbinary data types are supported for writing complete Logical SQL statements into usage tracking tables for debugging purposes. They aren't supported for general-purpose queries, and can't be displayed in the Oracle Analytics query endine.

    When using multidimensional data sources, if you select VARCHAR, you must specify a value in the Length field.

  • Nullable - Specifies whether null values are allowed for the column. If null values can exist in the underlying table, you need to select this option. This allows null values to be returned to the user, which is expected with certain functions and with outer joins. It's generally safe to change a non-nullable value to a nullable value in a measure column.

  • Aggregation rule - Specifies how the Oracle Analytics query engine aggregates the measure in relation to the cube table's dimensions. Use this information to help you set this field:

    • If the generated physical queries to the database should send an aggregation function, then set that function as the aggregation rule. For example, if the aggregation function is SUM(revenue), set the aggregation rule to Sum.

      With this setting, the Oracle Analytics query engine typically sends the aggregation to the database in the query, but might also perform aggregations itself in certain situations.

    • If the data for this measure shouldn't be aggregated in the query or by the Oracle Analytics query engine, use the External Aggregation rule. It's important to choose this setting when the measure uses a more complex calculation inside the data source than the Oracle Analytics query engine can replicate with a simple aggregation rule such as calculations for ratios, consolidations, and allocations. This option is also useful when the cube persists a full set of pre-aggregated results.

  1. On your home page, click Navigator Navigator icon and then click Semantic Models.
  2. In the Semantic Models page, click a semantic model to open it.
  3. Click Physical Layer Physical layer icon.
  4. In the Physical Layer pane, browse for and double click the cube table where you want to create the measure or that contains the measure that you want to update the properties for. Click the Measures tab.
  5. Create a measure or open an existing measure:
    • To create a measure, click Add Column Create icon. Then click Detail view.
    • To open an existing measure, in the measure list locate and click the measure. Then click Detail view.
  6. Set the measure's properties.
  7. Click Save.