Adding Data Slices and Working with Them

To work with the tool in Foresight Analytics Platform 10, use the new interface.

Multidimensional data sources can be divided into data slices that are used to create tables and other objects on report sheet. Working with data slices differs depending on the used table type:

NOTE. The Data Sources and Data Slices panel is outdated and is used for compatibility with previous versions of Prognoz Platform.

Working with Table Visualizer Slices

To add a new slice, select data source on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on the side panel and select the Add Slice item:

In the context menu of the selected data source.
On the Sources ribbon tab.

A new slice is created after executing the operation. By default, this slice is named ITEM N, where N is the number of the slice.

The slice is required to create a table visualizer.

To create a slice copy, select it on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on the side panel, select the Create a Copy context menu item and select slice copy creation option:

Full. Slice copy will be identical to the original slice.
Without Selection. Slice copy inherits dimensions order and synchronization from the original slice.
Without Synchronization. The slice copy inherits dimensions order and selection in dimensions from the original slice.
Without Selection and Synchronization. The slice copy inherits only the dimensions order.

A copy of the selected slice is created after the command execution. By default, the copy is named as follows Slice - Copy N, where Slice is the original slice name, and N is the slice number.

To delete a source or a data slice on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on the side panel, select the Delete context menu item of the selected data source or data slice.

Deleting the data sources deletes all child objects. For example, all slices and areas are deleted for a cube. All tables, based on the deleted source, are also deleted from the sheet.

To delete all slices in the data source, select the data source and then select the Delete All Slices context menu item of the required data source.

To search for data source or data slice by name, use the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on the side panel. Enter the required text in the search string.

To select table visualizer, corresponding to the table visualizer data area on the side panel, on the report sheet, go to the Sources tab in the Document group of tabs on the side panel and select the Show on Sheet context menu item of the required data area of table visualizer.

To rename source or data slice, select it on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on the side panel and select the Rename item:

In the context menu of the selected data source or data slice.
On the Sources ribbon tab.

After this, enter the new source name and press the ENTER key.

NOTE. The Rename item is unavailable, if on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on side panel the Names and Identifiers option is selected in the View drop-down list.

To select object display version (data sources, data slices and data areas):

Go to the Sources tab in the Document group of tabs on the side panel.
Select object display version in the Layout drop-down list:

Show Names. Objects are displayed with their names.
Show Identifiers. Objects are displayed with their identifiers.
Show Names and Identifiers. Objects are shown with their names, object identifiers are shown in brackets.

The selected layout type is used for all objects located on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs on the side panel.

Data display versions enable the user to manage report contents.

To select data display version in regular report:

Select the Display Versions item in the data source's context menu. The drop-down list opens that contains display versions.

Select a display versions required in the report:

If a cube is a data source, specify the version of aggregation by dimension levels.
If aggregation by dimensions is set up for different display versions, it is possible to show different types of aggregation in a report, depending on the selected display version, without editing the cube.

NOTE. Display setup is available for the sources with configured aggregation by dimension levels. Cube display versions can be added and set up in the Data Aggregation page of the wizards for creating and editing standard and automatic cubes.

If a time series database is a data source, specify a data set.
If the Attributes <Time Series Database Name> display versions is selected, the Selection group of tabs on the side panel shows the Attributes tab. This tab will contain all attributes of series level and observation level except for attributes that have multiple values.
If attribute is a link to dictionary, all attributes of the used dictionary are used for it as child elements. Values of such attributes cannot be edited.

If a cube is specified as a data source that is created on import by means of import wizard or ETL task, repeated data loading is available for the data source. To load data:

Select the Execute ETL Task context menu item of the selected source.
Click the source on the side panel, go to the Data: Sources ribbon tab, click the Execute ETL Task button.

As a result, data is reloaded to the data source using ETL task.

To edit the ETL task:

Select the Edit ETL Task context menu item of the selected data source.
Click the source on the side panel, go to the Data: Sources ribbon tab, click the Edit ETL Task button.

As a result, the dialog box for editing ETL task opens.

If the cube, to which data was imported, is specified as a source, several ETL tasks are available for it:

A task created after creating the cube.
Tasks created after data import to the cube.

To calculate table visualizer, select the area used for table calculation on the Sources tab of the Document group of tabs and select the Calculate context menu item.

Working with Data Area Slices

To add a new slice on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel:

Select the data source, for which a slice should be added, and click the button.
Select the Add Slice item in the selected data source's context menu.

A new slice is created after executing one of these operations. By default, this slice is named Slice N, where N is the number of the slice.

The slice is required to create a data area.

The slice added on the Data Sources and Slices panel is used only to create data area - outdated type of data table.

To create a slice copy, select the slice on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel, select the Create Slice Copy in the slice context menu and select the option of copy creation:

Full. Slice copy will be identical to the original slice.
Without Selection. Slice copy inherits dimensions order and synchronization from the original slice.
Without Synchronization. The slice copy inherits dimensions order and selection in dimensions from the original slice.
Without Selection and Synchronization. The slice copy inherits only the dimensions order.

A copy of the selected slice is created after the command execution. By default, the copy is named [Slice] - Copy N, where Slice is the original slice name, and N is the slice number.

Moving slices is available only between source cubes. When slices are moved, their binding to report objects (charts, maps, or data areas) remains unchanged.

To move a slice, select it in Data Sources and Data Slices panel and drag it to another cube in the list.

Most often the cubes have different structure. If cubes have the same dimensions, all settings of the moved slice remain the same (layout order and selection). If the dimension set is different, the matching dimensions are located with the same order and selection, and the rest is located in the Fixed group with no selection.

NOTE. Moving slice is identical to creating a new slice in the source cube, arranging dimensions and setting selection for dimensions.

To delete data source or data slice, select it in the list on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel and:

Click the button.
Select the Delete context menu item of the selected data source or data slice.

Deleting the data sources deletes all child objects. For example, all data slices and data areas are deleted for a cube. All data areas, based on the deleted data source, are also deleted from the sheet.

To delete all slices in the data source, select the data source and then select the Delete All Slices context menu item of the required data source.

To search and select data source or data slice on the report sheet, go to the Data Sources and Data Slices panel and click the Search button or execute the same command in the panel's context menu. A standard search dialog box opens.

To rename data source or data slice, select it on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel and select the Rename context menu item.

After this, enter the new source name and press the ENTER key.

NOTE. The Rename command is not available if the Show Names and Identifiers display version is set. To select display version, use the View option in the Data Sources and Data Slices panel's context menu.

To select object display version (data sources, data slices and data areas):

On the Data Sources and Data Slices panel select the View context menu item of the data source or data area.
Select the object display version in the drop-down list:

Show Names. Objects are displayed with their names.
Show Identifiers. Objects are displayed with their identifiers.
Show Names and Identifiers. Objects are shown with their names, object identifiers are shown in brackets.
Show Data Area Ranges. It is available only for data areas. Data areas are shown as ranges. For example: Sheet1!A0:D5.

The selected display version is used for all objects on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel.

To aggregate data in slice, select the slice in the Data Sources and Data Slices area and:

Select the Enable Data Aggregation checkbox in the slice's context menu.
Select the Enable Data Aggregation checkbox in the Dimension Parameters dialog box.

Data caching is implemented to use results of the previous report calculation without having to fully recalculate the report or to address the database server. For details about data caching, see the Speeding Up Large Report article.

On working with regular reports, it is possible to highlight elements of cached data sources. Highlighting enables the use of formatting to indicate (highlight) data that falls within the specified range of values.

To highlight dimension elements:

By condition. Select the Highlighting > Elements by Condition checkbox in the Dimensions area on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel.
With data. Select the Highlighting > Elements with Data checkbox in the Dimensions area on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel.

After element highlighting mode is determined, set limits of highlighting range in numeric boxes.

This function is available if the report's data source is a cached cube.

Data display versions enable the user to manage report contents.

To select data display versions in regular report:

Select the Display Versions item in data source context menu on the Data Sources and Data Slices panel. The Select Display Version dialog box opens:

Select a display version required in the report:

If a cube is a data source, specify the version of aggregation by dimension levels.
If aggregation by dimensions is set up for different display versions, it is possible to show different types of aggregation in a report, depending on the selected display version, without editing the cube.

If a time series database is a data source, specify a data set.
If the Attributes <Time Series Database Name> display version is selected, the Selection group of tabs on the side panel shows the Attributes tab. This tab will contain all attributes of series level and observation level except for attributes that have multiple values.
If attribute is a link to dictionary, all attributes of the used dictionary are used for it as child elements. Values of such attributes cannot be edited.