Creating a Sample Program Using Decision Support Objects

The topics in this section provide information in a tutorial format that shows you how to create a sample client application using the Decision Support Objects (DSO) object model. If you work through these exercises in order, you will create a project in Microsoft® Visual Basic® that performs the following functions:

• Connects to your OLAP server.
• Accesses the FoodMart sample database.
• Adds a new database and datasource.
• Adds dimensions and levels.
• Adds a cube and measures.
• Processes the cube.

Note You can also find sample applications on the SQL Server CD-ROM in the folder ..\MSOLAP\Samples that illustrate some of the techniques for developing your own applications that use DSO or PivotTable® Service. The Readme.txt file in the folder provides descriptions of the individual samples and instructions on installing them to your computer. Examples include displaying metadata and data over the Web, creating and processing cubes with DSO, creating a write-enabled cube, and more.

The example uses these functions to create a cube derived from the FoodMart sample database, which is provided with Microsoft SQL Server™ OLAP Services. It uses the Sales_Fact_1998, Product, Store, and Time_By_Day tables in a star schema with the following joins and characteristics:

• Sales_Fact_1998.Product_id is joined to Product.Product_id
• Sales_Fact_1998.Store_id is joined to Store.Store_id
• Sales_Fact_1998.Time_id is joined to Time_By_Day.time_id

The dimension and measures for this cube are listed here:

• Dimension: Products
  • Level: Brand Name
  • Level: Product Name
• Dimension: Store
  • Level: Store Type
  • Level: Store Id
  • Level: Store Name
• Dimension: Time
  • Level: Year
  • Level: Quarter
  • Level: Month
  • Level: Week
• Measure: Product Id
• Measure: Store Sales
• Measure: Store Cost
• Measure: Unit Sales

Note In order to complete these exercises, you must have configured your computer according to the instructions contained in Programming Environment.

Remarks

These exercises assume that you have some experience in creating Visual Basic applications.

You may also find it helpful to review the structure of the FoodMart database itself by examining it either in Microsoft Access or in a third-party computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool. This will help you to understand how the preceding steps are applied to the specific instance of the FoodMart database.

Some of these exercises modify the FoodMart sample database. We recommend you make backup copies of the following directories before you proceed:

• ..\OLAP Services\Bin
• ..\OLAP Services\Data

To complete your Visual Basic project, step through the exercises in order. Start with Connect to a Server.