MSAS MDX

Presenter Name Title

MDX Syntax

MDX Syntax

Specifying a Measure
If you wish to define rows and columns that are not measures themselves then a measure can be selected via the WHERE clause to specify context.
SELECT {[Time].[1997],[Time].[1998]} on rows, {[Store].[All Stores].[USA]} on columns FROM Warehouse WHERE [Measures].[Warehouse Sales]

MDX Syntax

The SELECT clause defines the contents of the axes.

The FROM clause defines the connection to the cube or OLAP source.
The WHERE clause defines the slicer or context based on members and member sets. MDX results are a smaller multi-dimensional cube derived from the original cube source. SQL results are columnar and only ever define a single axis.

WITH MEMBER
WITH MEMBER can be used to create calculated members.
Example: WITH MEMBER dimension.name AS 'Expression' dimension is the target dimension to contain the new calculated member. name is the alias for the result of the new expression Expression is the calculation that is required to define the new calculated member.

WITH MEMBER
WITH MEMBER [Measures].[Margin] AS '[Measures].[Warehouse Sales]-[Measures].[Warehouse Cost]' SELECT {([Time].[1998].children)} ON COLUMNS, {([Warehouse].[Country].members)} ON ROWS FROM Warehouse WHERE ([Measures].[Margin])

Commenting MDX
Comments can written in MSAS MDX using
// - /* */

// and -- can be placed on lines of existing code. The rest of the line will be interperted as a comment. This applies to a single line only. /* */ (ellipsis replaces comment text) can be used within existing code. Any text between /* and */ will be treated as a comment. This can be used across multiple lines of code.

Set Syntax
{ } defines a set of members

Example: {[Time].[1997],[Time].[1998]}

The set of two members (1997 and 1998) from the Time Dimension.

The result is really a set of tuples where each tuple is defined by the intersection of the listed members and the default measure for the cube.

OLAP Cubes
Sales Territory
CA OR WA

- Whats a tuple?
Camping Golf Outdoor Protection Mountaineering

Tuple is a combination of members from one or more dimensions. In this case we have: tuple([Q4], [Golf], [WA])

Personal Equip.

All other dimension members are implied.

2005 Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Time

The value returned would be the default measure i.e. [unit sales]

Product

C8 Report Studio Speak - Its still a tuple

tuple( currentMember([goc].[Products].[Products] ),
[Quantity sold] , [2006 Q 4] ) = 1,222

Defining a Tuple
Parentheses are used to define a tuple
SELECT {[Time].[1997],[Time].[1998]} on rows, {[Store].[All Stores].[USA]} on columns FROM Warehouse WHERE ([Measures].[Warehouse Sales],[Store Type].[All Store Type].[Deluxe Supermarket])

Tuples on edges
A tuple defined for an axis (edge) will result in nested members
SELECT {[Product].[All Products].[Drink].[Alcoholic Beverages]} on rows, {([Store].[All Stores].[USA],[Time].[1997])} on columns FROM Warehouse WHERE ([Measures].[Warehouse Sales])

Specifying Ranges
The : can be used to leverage the natural order of members within a level
SELECT { [Measures].[Store Invoice]: [Measures].[Warehouse Profit]} ON COLUMNS, { [Time].[1997], [Time].[1998] } ON ROWS FROM Warehouse WHERE ([Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[USA].[CA])

NON EMPTY
The NON EMPTY clause can be used to eliminate tuples that do not have defined measure values.
SELECT { [Measures].[Units Shipped], [Measures].[Units Ordered] } ON COLUMNS, [Store].Members ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse]

NON EMPTY
The NON EMPTY clause can be used to eliminate tuples that do not have defined measure values.
SELECT { [Measures].[Units Shipped], [Measures].[Units Ordered] } ON COLUMNS, NON EMPTY [Store].Members ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse]

Methods and Functions

MSAS mixes two forms, Method and Function calls.
Methods
[Time].[Year].members
SELECT { [Time].[Year].members } ON ROWS, {[Measures].[Warehouse Cost]} on COLUMNS FROM Warehouse

Functions
Ancestor( [Time].[1997].[Q1], [Time].[Year] )
SELECT {Ancestor( [Time].[1997].[Q1], [Time].[Year] )} ON ROWS, {[Measures].[Warehouse Cost]} on COLUMNS FROM Warehouse

Methods
.Parent
.Children .FirstChild .LastChild .FirstSibling .LastSibling .Members .CurrentMember .PrevMember .NextMember .Item() (Others exist)

Dimensions, MDX & The Family Tree - Navigating a dimension using MDX
All
Parent of [Q1 2005]

2005 Q2 Mar Q3 Oct

FirstChild of [2005]

2006 Q1 Dec Q2

FirstSibling of [Q4 2006]

Q1 Jan Feb

Q4 Nov

Q3

Q4

FirstSibling of [Q1 2006]

PrevMember of [Nov 2005]

Cousin ([Jan 2005], [Q4])

NextMember of [Nov 2005]

Sets of data in MDX - Collecting data to use as a group using MDX

PeriodsToDate ([Year], [Q3 2005])

All
2005

Tail(members([Quarters], 2)

2006 Q4 Nov Q1 Dec Q2 Q3 Q4

Q1 Jan Feb

Q2 Mar

Q3 Oct

Children of [2006]

Members( [Months] ) Head(members([Months], 2)

Parent
Returns the member directly above the specified member in the same hierarchy
SELECT {[Time].[Year].members} ON COLUMNS, {[Booker].Parent} ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE ([Measures].[Units Shipped])

.Children
The members directly below the specified member of the hierarchy
SELECT {[Store].[All Stores].[Canada]} ON COLUMNS, {[Time].[Year].[1998].children} ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE ([Measures].[Units Shipped])

Workshop
.Parent Which city is [Bellmont Distributing] in?
What is the parent of [Dairy]?

.Children What types of Drinks are sold? .FirstChild What is the first month available in the Time dimension? .LastChild What is the last month available in the Time dimension?

.FirstSibling What is the first State/Province relative to [Warehouse].[Veracruz] from the same country?
.LastSibling What is the last State/Province relative to [Warehouse].[Veracruz] from the same country? .Members Make a list of all the Store Cities. Make a list of all Years, Quarters, and Months. .NextMember Which year follows 1997? .PrevMember What is the previous measure from [Store Invoice]?

CurrentMember
Allows processing of an expression relative to the current position within the members on an axis (dimension)
WITH MEMBER [Measures].[Percent of Base] AS '([Warehouse].currentMember,[Measures].[Warehouse Sales])/([Warehouse].[All Warehouses],[Measures].[Warehouse Sales])' SELECT {([Time].[1998])} ON COLUMNS, {([Warehouse].[Country].members)} ON ROWS FROM Warehouse WHERE ([Measures].[Percent of Base])

CurrentMember Workshop
Calculate the Year over Year variance in Warehouse Sales for each Country. i.e. difference of the current Year from the prior Year.
WITH MEMBER [Measures].[YOY Variance] AS Expression' SELECT {([Time].[Year].members)} ON COLUMNS, {([Warehouse].[Country].members)} ON ROWS FROM Warehouse WHERE ([Measures].[YOY Variance])

Item (tuple version)

Tuple.Item(Numeric Expression)
Returns the member at the zero-based index defined by Numeric Expression.
SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on ROWS, {([Time].[1998],[Store Type].[All Store Type].[Deluxe Supermarket]).item(1)} on COLUMNS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped]

Item (set version)

Set.Item(String Expression[, String Expression...] | Index) Returns a tuple specified by the String Expression of the function arguments. String Expression can either define a complete tuple expression or a series of individual members for each dimension used (in order) by the set.
SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {CrossJoin([Time].[Quarter].Members, [Product].[Product Family].Members).Item("[1998].[Q1]","Food")} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped] OR SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {CrossJoin([Time].[Quarter].Members, [Product].[Product Family].Members).Item( ([1998].[Q1],Food)")} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped]

Functions (a small subset)

Ancestor()
Cousin() ParallelPeriod() PeriodsToDate() LastPeriods() Sum() Order() Union() Filter() CrossJoin() Subset() Generate() TopCount()

Ancestor
Ancestor(Member, Distance)
Ancestor(Member, Level) Returns the member at the level or distance specified relative to the specified Member.
SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {Ancestor([Time].[1998].[Q2].[5], 2)} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped] OR SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {Ancestor([Time].[1998].[Q2].[5], [Time].[Year])} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped]

Cousin
Cousin(Member1, Member2)
Find the member in the same relative position as Member1 given a new parent member, Member2.
SELECT {Cousin([Time].[1997].[Q1],[Time].[1998])} ON COLUMNS FROM [Warehouse]

ParallelPeriod
ParallelPeriod([Level[, Numeric Expression[, Member] ] ])
Similar to Cousin Returns a member in the same relative position as Member but with an ancestor at Level that is Numeric Expression away from the ancestor of Member.
SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {ParallelPeriod([Time].[Year], 1, [Time].[1998].[Q2].[5])} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped]

PeriodsToDate
PeriodsToDate([Level[, Member] ])
Returns all the members from the start of Level up to and including Member
SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {PeriodsToDate([Time].[Year], [Time].[1998].[Q2].[5])} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped]

LastPeriods
LastPeriods(Index[, Member])
Returns a number of members, specified by Index and from the same level as Member, up to and including Member.
SELECT {[Warehouse].[All Warehouses].[Canada]} on COLUMNS, {LastPeriods(3, [Time].[1998].[Q2].[5])} on ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Measures].[Units Shipped]

Sum
Sum(Set[, Numeric Expression])
Aggregates the numeric values from Numeric Expression which are returned for each of the members of Set.
WITH MEMBER [Measures].[ToDate] AS 'SUM(PeriodsToDate([Time].[Year],[Time].[1998].[Q3].[7]),[Measur es].[Warehouse Sales])' SELECT {[Measures].[ToDate]} ON COLUMNS, {[Store].[Store Country].members} ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse]

SUM Workshop
Fill in the expressions to populate
Year to Date Prior Year to Date Rolling average of the Last 6 Months
WITH MEMBER [Measures].[YTD] AS '[Measures].[Units Shipped]' MEMBER [Measures].[Prior YTD] AS '[Measures].[Units Shipped]'

MEMBER [Measures].[Last 6 Months - SUM] AS '[Measures].[Units Shipped]'

SELECT { [Time].[Month].Members} ON ROWS, { [Measures].[Units Shipped],[Measures].[YTD], [Measures].[Prior YTD], [Measures].[Last 6 Months - SUM]} ON COLUMNS FROM Warehouse

Order
Order(Set, {String Expression | Numeric Expression}[, ASC | DESC | BASC | BDESC])
Sorts the set of members from Set ASC and DESC respect the order of the hierarchy and sorts within this structure. BASC and BDESC will Break the hierarchy and sort by the expression only.
SELECT {[Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS, { ORDER({[Store].[Store Country].Members, [Store].[Store State].members}, ([Measures].[Units Shipped]) , DESC)} ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Time].[1998]

Union
Union(Set1, Set2[, ALL])
Combines two individual sets to return one set as a result Alternate syntax 1 (Union): {Set1 + Set2} Alternate syntax 2 (Union All): {Set1 , Set2}
SELECT {[Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS, UNION([Store].[Store Country].Members, [Store].[Store State].members) ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Time].[1998]

Filter
Filter(Set, Search Condition)
Returns the members of Set for which the Search Condition is true.
SELECT {[Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS, FILTER([Store].[Store State].members,[Measures].[Units Shipped]>0) ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Time].[1998]

SELECT {[Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS, FILTER([Store].[Store State].members,[Measures].[Units Shipped]>25000) ON ROWS FROM [Warehouse] WHERE [Time].[1998]

Crossjoin
Crossjoin(Set1, Set2)
Returns a set of tuples defined by the matching of all members in Set1 to all the members in Set2 NON EMPTY can be used to eliminate empty intersections. Alternately, NonEmptyCrossJoin() can be used.
SELECT { CROSSJOIN([Store].[Store Country].members,[Time].[Year].Members)} ON ROWS, { [Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS FROM Warehouse

TopCount
TopCount(Set, Count[, Numeric Expression])
Returns the first Count members from Set after sorting them in descending order based on Numeric Expression.
SELECT { TopCount([Store].[Store City].members,10,[Measures].[Units Shipped])} ON ROWS, { [Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS FROM Warehouse

Generate
Generate(Set1, Set2[, ALL])
Generate(Set1, String Expression[, Delimiter]) Evaluates Set2 or the String Expression for each member of Set1.
SELECT { GENERATE([Product].[Product Family].members,TopCount(Descendants([Product].currentMemb er,[Product].[Product Name]),2,[Measures].[Units Shipped]))} ON ROWS, { [Measures].[Units Shipped]} ON COLUMNS FROM Warehouse