1. Using Oracle Essbase
  2. Create and Manage Cube Outlines Using the Web Interface
  3. About Duplicate Member Names

About Duplicate Member Names

When you create a cube, you can specify that duplicate (non-unique) member names and aliases are allowed in a cube outline, with some restrictions.

  1. From the web interface, log in as a power user, and click Create.
  2. Enter a unique application name and any cube name.
  3. Expand Advanced Options and select Allow Duplicate Member Names.
  4. Click OK.

A duplicate member outline might, for example have a Market dimension and require two members named New York: one as a child member of the dimension parent member, Market, and one as a child of the member, New York. The member names are displayed as New York. The qualified member names are:

  • [Market].[New York]

  • [Market].[New York].[New York]

To add a duplicate member name, enter the duplicate member in the outline. There are no additional requirements for adding a duplicate member.

  1. On the Applications page, expand the application you just created.
  2. Click the Actions menu for that cube and then choose Outline.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Type Market and press Tab.
  5. From the outline toolbar, under Actions, select Add child to the selected member.
  6. Type New York and press Tab.
  7. From the outline toolbar, under Actions, select Add child to the selected member.
  8. Type New York and press Tab.
  9. Highlight the last member you created and, on the outline toolbar, under Actions, select Display member properties panel on the right side to open the properties pane.
  10. Expand Name and look at the Name and Path.

    Notice that the fully qualified member name of [Market].[New York].[New York] is displayed, but the outline member is called New York.

Duplicate Naming Restrictions:
  • If the outline is not enabled for duplicate members, then an error is returned when a duplicate member name is entered.
  • Dimension names, generation names, and level names must always be unique, and sibling members under a parent member must always be unique.
  • You must enable duplicate member names at the time you create the application. You cannot convert a unique member outline to a duplicate member outline.
  • Duplicate member names applies to the entire outline and cannot be assigned only to a single dimension, for example.
  • After you migrate a cube with a unique member outline to Essbase 21c, you cannot change the outline to allow duplicate members. If you want the cube to allow duplicate members, you must convert the unique member outline to a duplicate member outline before migrating.