Duplicate Objects

building semantic layer
1

I created the following hierarchies at Universe level.
Custom Hierarchy 1: A, B C, D, E, F
Custom Hierarchy 2: U, B, V, D, E, X, Z

Web Intelligence is prompting for drill path when I use B, D, E objects in the query.
Is there anyway to avoid this? What happens if we setup scope of analysis for two hierarchies?!!

Renaming B, D, E objects in the 2nd hierarchy is not a good practice and is confusing.

The only options I can think of are:
1.Creating 2 different Universes and change the Universe source before running the Web Intelligence report.
2. Leave the report as-is and prompt the users to select the drill path. How do the numbers change if the users go back and forth on hierarchies using ‘Drill By’ mode?

  1. Any other options??? Please help

BOBJGuy :uk: (BOB member since 2010-02-25)

2

I’ll give this thread a bump since I got the same problem.
Any suggestions?

anders :sweden: (BOB member since 2007-03-21)

3

We have the same problem, the only way I can see of putting the control of drill paths in the report developers hands (and hence not prompting the user) is by duplicating the objects in the Universe which is the option that you disregarded.

The universe allows this flexibility, plus we also do not have that many hierarchies where I am so I was thinking of creating a report hierarchy class, and then defining sub-classes for each custom hierarchy in which would be the dimensions relating to the drill path. I would then create a custom hierarchy using these drill paths.

Not pretty, increases universe maintenance, but by putting them into separate classes it does make them a bit easier to look after and the report developers know which objects relate to which drill path at design time.

This posts poohpoohs this idea though: https://bobj-board.org/t/142706

I would like to hear what you implemented in the end.

Darth Services :uk: (BOB member since 2007-11-20)

4

Hi

Here is an approach which works for us. Simpler than your scenario BOBJGuy but I think the logic should still work

Intended Hierarchies

A,B1,C,D
A,B2,C,D

Implemented Hierarchies

  1. A,B1
  2. B1,C
  3. A,B2
  4. B2,C
  5. C,D

I’m going to coin a phrase here…“Hierarchy Hopping”. A report based on B1 would hop through hierarchies 1,2 & 5. A report based on B2 would hop through 3,4 & 5.

Build query using an account with ‘Extend scope of analysis’ setting ENABLED. Run report with this parameter DISABLED. This prevents the scope from being extended outside of the hierarchies used and so removes ambiguities.

Using the report builder account:-

  1. Make sure the ambiguous object is added as a result object in the query panel (e.g B1 or B2, but not both)
  2. Run query and activate drill mode
  3. Drill up and down as required (choosing correct drill path). This builds a custom scope of analysis.
  4. You can check the scope back in the query panel
  5. Save report

If you now open the report using an account with the Extend scope setting disabled, as above, you still retain the ability to drill up and down but you will be restricted to using only those hierarchies used in the report creation and you will not be prompted with any options to drill out of the scope.

Good luck!

bkcoward :uk: (BOB member since 2010-08-16)

5

Actually I worded point 1 slightly wrong. I should have said:-

  1. Make sure an unambiguous object is added as a result object in the query panel (e.g B1 or B2, but not both)

bkcoward :uk: (BOB member since 2010-08-16)