Dimension, measure, and slice dimension tags - Web Services
Learn about an adaptable approach which separates programming tasks from Web page design tasks. This strong conceptual model encourages good design, enables re-use of data definitions, and is well-suited to the construction of dynamic user interfaces. The authors also illustrate the particular challenges you might encounter when you dynamically change the analysis performed by Web pages. (This intermediate-level article was first published by IBM developerWorks, August 5, 2004, at http://www.ibm.com/developerWorks).
The dimensions tag acts as a container for the dimension tags that define the dimensions that are required in the results. In this example, the Year and Product dimensions are included in the results.
The same pattern is followed with the measures and measure tags: In this case, the Unit Sales and Revenue measures are included in the results.
The sliceDimensions tag acts as a container for the dimension tags that define the slice dimensions to be used as described above. In this case, the Product dimension is included as a slice dimension so there is a slice for each year, with each slice containing a row for each product.
Data conversion
Depending on the interpretation, data values can be strings or numbers. The data access tags should perform the correct conversion, and the page author should make sure that the format of the data values have been understood, and that the data has the appropriate filtering and ordering selected to achieve the required results.
Filtering and ordering tags
The filters tag acts as a container for all required filter tags. In this example, the includeFilter tag is acting on the Sales Region dimension. It includes only those rows whose sales region is North in the results.
The grouping of numericOrdering tags within an orderings tag follows the tag containment pattern, which by now, should be familiar. Note that the sequence in which ordering tags are specified is significant. In this case, result rows are sequenced first by year, and then by unit sales in descending order.