Modify
the Database to Support a Relative Time Dimension in the Cube
Let's
create a couple of objects within our new MS Access database to support relative
time periods within the sample cube we will use later in our exercises.
Again, we are doing this in MS Access to leverage existing samples and save
time – the concepts are similar, although methods vary somewhat, in the more
robust MSSQL Server environment.
1.
Open the RelativeTimesample.mdb
in MS Access (I'm using Access 2003 in my illustrations, but Access 2000 and
beyond will work, and will be very similar in operation).
2.
Get to the Database
View for the database.
3.
Click the New
button atop the view, as depicted in Illustration 8.
4.
Select Design
View from the New Table dialog that appears, as shown in Illustration
9.
Illustration 9: New
Table Dialog: Select Design View
Design
View for the new
table opens.
6.
Type the
information presented in Table 1 into the designated places in the Design
View.
|
Field Name
|
Data Type
|
relativetime_id
|
Number
|
relativetime_member
|
Text
|
Table 1: Creating a New Table - Design View
Design
View for the new
table appears as partially depicted in Illustration 10.
Illustration 10: The New
Table in Design View (Partial View)
7.
Select View
--> Datasheet View from the main menu, as shown in Illustration
11.
Illustration 11: Shift
to Datasheet View
A dialog
appears, stating that we must save the table first.
8.
Click Yes
to save the table, as
depicted in Illustration 12.
Illustration 12: Notice
to Save the Table First ...
9.
Type the
following into the Save As dialog that next appears:
relativetime
The
completed Save As dialog for the new table appears, as shown in Illustration
13.
Illustration 13: Saving
the New Table in the Sample Database
10.
Click OK to
save the table and close the Save As dialog.
11.
Click No on
the next dialog to appear, to pass on creating a Primary Key in this
practice instance, as depicted in Illustration 14.
Illustration 14: Just
Say "No" to Creating a Primary Key ...
The table
opens in Datasheet View.
12.
Type the
information assembled in Table 2 into the designated columns of the
table within Table View.
|
relativetime_id
|
relativetime_member
|
1
|
Current
|
0
|
|
Table 2: Inserting Data into the Table - Datasheet View
NOTE:
The "0"
appears in the second row when we type the "1" into the first row.
Datasheet
View for the table
appears as shown in Illustration 15.
Illustration 15: The New
Table in Datasheet View (Partial View)
13.
Select File
--> Close from the main menu to close the
table and return to Data View.
The new relativetime
table appears among the other tables, in Data View for the database,
as depicted in Illustration 16.
Illustration 16: The New
Table Appears in Database View
» 
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