What is the OLAP DML?

What You Can Do Using the OLAP DML

Using the OLAP DML, application developers can create programs that analyze analytic workspace data without using SQL, Java, or the Oracle OLAP tools,.

You can use the OLAP DML to:

1. Create an analytic workspace.

2. Define the multidimensional data objects in an analytic workspace.

3. Define calculation objects and programs that will analyze the data.

4. Populate and analyze the data in the multidimensional data objects.

Basic Syntactic Units of the OLAP DML

The basic syntactic units of the OLAP DML are options, properties, commands, functions, and programs. All of these are sometimes collectively referred to as OLAP DML statements.

OLAP DML Options

An OLAP DML option is a special type of analytic workspace object that specifies the characteristic of some aspect of how Oracle OLAP calculates or formats data or what Oracle OLAP operations are activated. Some options are read-only, while others are read/write options for which you can specify values. Read/write options have default values.

You cannot define your own options as part of an analytic workspace. However, you can use any of the options that are defined as part of the Oracle OLAP DML. The options are documented as reference topics in Chapter 6, "OLAP DML Options".

OLAP DML Properties

A property is a named value that is associated with a definition of an analytic workspace object. You can name, create, and assign properties to an object using an OLAP DML PROPERTY command.

Properties that begin with a $ (dollar sign) are recognized by Oracle OLAP as system properties. You cannot create system properties; however, in some cases you can assign system properties to objects. These system properties are documented as reference topics in Chapter 5, "OLAP DML Properties".

OLAP DML Functions

OLAP functions work in much the same way as commands in other programming languages. They initiate action and return a value. The one exception is the looping nature of OLAP DML functions as discussed in "OLAP DML Statements Apply to All of the Values of a Data Object".

Most of the OLAP DML functions are standard text and calculation functions. Other OLAP DML functions return more complex information.Additionally, you can augment the functionality of the OLAP DML by writing an OLAP DML program for use as a function.

The built-in OLAP DML functions are documented as reference topics in Chapter 7, "OLAP DML Functions: A - K" and Chapter 8, "OLAP DML Functions: L - Z".

OLAP DML Commands

OLAP DML commands work in much the same way as commands in other programming languages—the one exception is the looping nature of OLAP DML commands as discussed in "OLAP DML Statements Apply to All of the Values of a Data Object".

Many OLAP DML commands perform complex actions. Some of these commands are data definition commands like the AW command which you use to create an analytic workspace and the DEFINE command which you use to define objects within an analytic workspace. Other OLAP DML commands are data manipulation commands. Some commands are recognized by Oracle OLAP as events that can trigger the execution of OLAP DML programs. (See "Trigger Programs" for more information.) Additionally, you can augment the functionality of the OLAP DML by writing an OLAP DML program for use as a command.

The built-in OLAP DML commands are documented as reference topics in Chapter 8, Chapter 9, "OLAP DML Commands: A-G" and Chapter 10, "OLAP DML Commands: H-Z".

OLAP DML Programs

A number of OLAP DML programs are provided as part of the OLAP DML. Some of these programs produce reports that you can print or see online. Other programs provided as part of the OLAP DML perform standard calculations of use to programmers and database administrators. For more information on the programs delivered with the OLAP DML, see "Programs Provided With the OLAP DML".

You can also write your own OLAP DML programs to augment the functionality of the OLAP DML as described in Chapter 4, "OLAP DML Programs".