Introduction to SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services: Working with the Cube Editor - Page 3

8. Right click the folder within MyCube2 called Data Sources, and on the context menu, select New Data Source.

The Data Link Properties dialog box appears, with its Provider, Connection, Advanced and All tabs, as shown in Illustration 4 below. Beginning with the Provider tab (where the dialog opens by default):

9. Select the Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider (the native MS Access OLE DB provider).

Note: For more on this, review the on-line documentation for OLE DB Providers, and data sources in general.

Illustration 4: The Data Link Properties Dialog -- Provider Tab

10. Click Next.

The focus moves to the Connection tab.

11. Select the FoodMart 2000 database in Box 1.

FoodMart 2000.mdb is located, as we have noted, by default, in the [Install Directory]:\Program Files\Microsoft Analysis Services\Samples director; Click on the ellipses (...) button, to navigate to the .mdb as shown in Illustration 5 below.

Illustration 5: Selecting the FoodMart 2000 Database

12. Click Open, returning to the Connection tab, as we see below:

Illustration 6: The Data Link Properties Dialog -- Connection Tab

13. Insert User Name and Password information, as appropriate (the illustration displays default settings).
14. Click the Test Connection button in the bottom right hand corner of the Connection tab.

We should get a verification dialog confirming that the source has been established in our definition (as shown in Illustration 7).

Illustration 7: Verification of the Connection to the FoodMart 2000 Database

15. Click OK, and the Microsoft Data Link verification dialog box closes.

We will leave all the other Data Link Properties at their default setpoints for now.

16. Click OK on the Data Link Properties dialog.

The Data Link Properties dialog closes, and we can see that the new source appears under the Data Sources folder in the tree area, on the left side of the Management Console, displaying the actual file name, as shown below.

Illustration 8: Initial View of Our Newly Created Data Source

Page 4: Working with the Cube Editor (Continued)

See All Articles by Columnist William E. Pearson, III