Determinants basics

[Mita]

Hi All,

Can anybody tell me how to know which filed has been taken from the query subject for determinant if the original field is renamed.
I am attaching the screenshot of the querysubjc.

Here it has only 3 columns which are defined in keys and attribute section.
how should I know which column is defined for determinant.right clicking on the name only gives option of rename and deleting.

Thanks.

[MFGF]

Hi All,

Can anybody tell me how to know which filed has been taken from the query subject for determinant if the original field is renamed.
I am attaching the screenshot of the querysubjc.

Here it has only 3 columns which are defined in keys and attribute section.
how should I know which column is defined for determinant.right clicking on the name only gives option of rename and deleting.

Thanks.

Hi,

A determinant is just the name of a definition - you can call it whatever you like. Its name isn't necessarily a reflection of what it delivers in terms of grouping. You can see how it will group based on the values in the Key section. You can see which items it applies this grouping to based on what's in the Attributes section.

Cheers!

MF.

[Mita]

Thank you for the clarification.

So is it applicable to fact tablse also or we can only define these in dimension tables only.

[MFGF]

Thank you for the clarification.

So is it applicable to fact tablse also or we can only define these in dimension tables only.

Hi,

Usually Determinants are used in query subjects describing dimension tables. You generally need to use them where you have a conformed (shared) dimension linking to multiple fact tables at different levels of granularity. For example, a Time dimension linking to a Sales fact table at the Date level and a Sales Targets fact table at the Quarter level. You'd need a high level determinant with a key of the Quarter key and all the other quarterly attributes listed in the Attributes area - with Group By checked. You'd need a second, subsequent determinant with a key of the Date key and "Unique" checked.

Cheers!

MF.

[Michael75]

Usually Determinants are used in query subjects describing dimension tables.

Hi MF,

This question is out of pure curiosity. Are there any cases where you would use determinants on a table that is not a dimension table?

. . . thinking as I type . . .   I guess there could be situations, in which the DB on which the Cognos metadata is based is not a star schema with clearly defined dims and facts, in which this may be applicable.

Oh well, I guess I've led a sheltered existence so far, BI-wise, never having encountered such a situation  :)

Rgds, Michael

[MFGF]

Hi MF,

This question is out of pure curiosity. Are there any cases where you would use determinants on a table that is not a dimension table?

. . . thinking as I type . . .   I guess there could be situations, in which the DB on which the Cognos metadata is based is not a star schema with clearly defined dims and facts, in which this may be applicable.

Oh well, I guess I've led a sheltered existence so far, BI-wise, never having encountered such a situation  :)

Rgds, Michael

If you need to force group by statements, because for example there are multiple entries in the table for something you wish to treat as an atomic item, then a determinant would be one way to do this.

MF.

[Mita]

Thanks MF.. :)

[Michael75]

Thanks MF.. :)

You said it for me  :)