Dimensions

• Dimension (field CODDIM)

This code identifies the created records in a unique manner.

It corresponds to the name of the table that will be created in the datamart database.

• Abbreviation (field ABRDIM)

The table abbreviation must be composed of 1 to 4 characters (letters or numbers but must start with a letter). It is the unique identifier for all the table abbreviations of the data dictionary. The Adonix reserved words are prohibited.

• Title (field ZINTIT)

It used to define a name associated with each record.

• field W

• Evaluated title (field INTEVAL)

• Activity code (field CODACT)

An activity code is used to:

• make optional an element in the dictionary if the value associated with the activity code is null.
• identify the specific/custom elements if they are marked with a code starting with X, Y or Z.
• size a maximum number of lines when the activity code marks elements from a grid.

In this way, if the activity code is disabled, the marked element will not be useable, and the associated code (if any) will neither be generated nor can be activated.

• Module (field MODULE)

• Origin table (field TABORG)

Define the source table that will run through (with the records in the linked tables) on each time that an update of the dimension table will be triggered. This run through will be complete, if the update type is Delete and replace; if not, it will incremental, based on the modified records in the principal table.

• Key (field INDLEC)

• Extract filter (field FILTRE)

This condition is applied to the records in the source table during the update processes for the dimensions table. If is is not carried out, the record is not retained to be used in the update.

It is important to note that the complex expressions can be applied here, including the conditions used to intervene in the functions defined by the programmer (syntax func PRG.FONCTION...)

• Update type (field TYPMAJ)

This field is used to define if the loading logic for the dimensions table must be :

• of the type Incremental(on each triggering, the modifications are copied from the source table). Unlike the facts table, where a database trigger is used, in the case of the dimensions, the date of the last modification or creations is used, which must therefore must exist for the dimension tables.
• or of the type Delete and replace (all the lines in the table are deleted prior to completely recreating them).

• field WA

• Delete empty record (field SUPVID)

• Multi-folder (field MULDOS)

• Standard script (field TRTSTD)

Used to define the code for an optional process.

If it is entered, this process is called during the update, in order to carryout particular processes.

In this process, a label $ACTION is found and two variables that are used to define the call context :

• The variable named ACTION is used to define the call context. The possible values are:
• "DEB_DIM" at the start of the update.
• "FIN_DIM" at the end of the update.
• The variable named TABLE is used to identify the name of the dimension table being updated.

Thus it is possible to take control when the update of the dimension does not take place by a simple recopy of the table.

• Vertical script (field TRTSPV)

• Specific script (field TRTSPE)

• Linked tables (field TABLNK)

Used to define the tables linked to the source table or to one of the tables that precede it in the links grid.

• Abbreviation (field ABRLNK)

It corresponds to the abbreviation under which the linked table is open.

If this field is not populated, the default abbreviation of the table is used. It is particularly useful to enter an abbreviation if the table appears several times in the grid, since several linked lines in the same table need to be on line simultaneously.

• Link key (field CLELNK)

It defines the table key code used to read the linked lines. By default, the first key of the table is used.

• Type (field TYPLNK)

• Link expression (field EXPLNK)

This field is defined as one or more calculated expressions separated by a semi colon. Each expression is evaluated, and the result used to identify the value of the key used to perform the join. When multiple joins are authorized, only the first elements of the key can be given.

In the expressions, constants can be used, as well as fields coming from the tables previously defined in the link list.

• Date field (field FLDDAT)

• Folder (field ADXDOS)

• Line number (field NUMDIM)

• Field code (field FLDDIM)

Defines the code for the field in the facts table or the table describing dimensions. This code is that under which the field is known in the database (it is automatically suffixed with the characters "_0"). It is not visible when in the management reports (it is the title that is displayed) but can be viewed if looking at the SQL syntax that extract the data from the datamart.

• Title (field ZINTDIM)

This title, which will be viewed by the user during the creation of the reports, must be unique for each field in the facts table or for the given dimension. In addition it is recommended to not have duplications between different tables. In fact, if there are duplications aliases will be automatically created (title_2, title_3) to prevent coherence problems, but this makes the data structures less readable for the user.

• Type (field CODTYP)

The field type is defined here, which characterize the entry format (numeric, any characters, date...) and the coherence controls (reference to a table for example).

The principal generic types that exist :

A : Alphanumeric
C : Short integer
L : Long integer
DCB : Decimal
D : Date
M : Local menu
MM : Local menu with filter
ACB : clob
ABB : blob

But many other predefined types exist. They often make reference to an annex table (currency, country...). A dedicated dictionary is used to described them and they can be selected using the key that is used to obtain the list.

• Lg (field LNG)

Used to define the length of a field when this field uses a generic data type where the length is not fixed. This is notably the case for the types A and DCB.

• Date (field TYPDAT)

When a field from the facts or dimensions table is of the type date and is defined as dimension, it is automatically associated with a dimensions table named AX3DAT, which is automatically managed.

It is then possible to specify here what are the time characteristics linked to the date that will be accessed in the analyses. A list of characters to be defined is given, not forgetting there are the following correspondences :

• Y=year
• S=half year
• Q=quarter
• M=month
• F=fortnight
• T=decade
• W=week
• D=day

Thus, for example, YMW signifies that a direct access is available for the year, the month and the week defined by the date.

• Menu (field MENLOC)

Defines the local menu number associated with the field defined on the line.

When a field is of the type local menu (from 1 to 255) corresponding to the rank of a title in a table named local menu, stored in the messages table APLSTD.

On entry or on display, the following are displayed according to the choices made in the user interface :

• either a title can be chosen in a scrolling list commonly called a combo box
• or a list of buttons.

The interest of this type of entry is that the list of choices is displayed in the user connection language.

Each local menu number characterises the list of available titles. For example, the local menu 1 corresponds to the choice No / Yes in this order. In this particular case, the user interface can also be a check box.

• Table (field TABDIV)

If the field is associated with a miscellaneous table, the number that identifies it is defined here.

• Object type (field TYPFLD)

Used to characterize the data in the dimensions table. The following values are possible:

• Dimension signifies that the field is considered to be an analysis criterion stored in the dimensions table.
• Dimension signifies that the field is considered to be an analysis criterion linked to another dimensions table. In certain cases (the fields of the type date, local menu, miscellaneous table) the dimension table is implicitly manage by the software package.
• Information corresponds to a field that will be presented in the reports, but it is not considered as being descriminant from the point of view of the analysis and the data aggregation.
• Technique corresponds to the fields that are used in the data structure (for example to define the links), but which do not need to be visible when constructing the reports.

• Self-join (field ZAUTO)

• Tunnel toward object (field TUNNEL)

• Linked dimension (field FLDLIE)

When a field is of the type Information in a dimensions table, it must be attached to a field of the type Dimension. Therefore one of the fields of the type Dimension present in the dimensions table is entered here.

• Parent dimension (field DIMFAT)

When the field is of the type Parent dimension, the dimension code is entered here to which it is attached.

• Dimension title (field ZDIMINT)

• Name of field (field DIMFLD)

• Join option (field OPTJNT)

• Loading formula (field FLDORG)

This adonix calculation formula is used to define the fashion in which the field is loaded in the dimensions table when the datamart is updated from a folder in the software package.

Such a formula can include constants, the fields coming from the tables declared in lines, the standard functions, but also the functions defined by a developer (by the syntax func PRG.FONCTION).

• Activity code (field ACTDIM)

An activity code is used to:

• make optional an element in the dictionary if the value associated with the activity code is null.
• identify the specific/custom elements if they are marked with a code starting with X, Y or Z.
• size a maximum number of lines when the activity code marks elements from a grid.

In this way, if the activity code is disabled, the marked element will not be useable, and the associated code (if any) will neither be generated nor can be activated.

• Key (field CLE)

A dimension table must have available an index where the key values that are used to establish a join between the facts tables or other linked dimensions. This field is used to define these characteristics.

This is where the list of fields that make up the index are entered. The fields are separated by a '+' if there are several fields (for example, in the sites table FACILITY there is a key whose definition is LEGCPY+FCY).

A descending sort field is preceded with the sign "-" (warning, it is used in the left list).

The first field that makes up the index is without a sign and is therefore ascending.

• field NAMCLE

• Object "number of" (field NOMBRE)

When this box is ticked, an object Number is added in the created universe, this is used to directly access the number of lines in the dimensions table(globally or on given criteria).