68 IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes
4.2.7 Exploring data using the tabular data view
You can use the tabular data view to preview the data that exists in a table. For many
modeling operations, such as modeling level keys and identifying hierarchies in dimensions,
knowing the data that you are working with can be useful. You can pin the tabular data view
so you may consult it as you do your modeling. You can click the Top, Page up, Page down,
and Bottom buttons to view additional data in the table.
4.2.8 Creating a dynamic cube
When you are satisfied that you are ready to begin modeling your application, you can begin
working in any one of a number of ways. You can begin building dimensions and a measure
dimension and then insert them into a cube, or you can start with a cube and then add
dimensions and a measure dimension. If starting with a cube, you have the option of creating
the cube and the other objects manually, or, if there are primary-foreign key relationships
present in your data source, you can use some of the auto-design functionality available in
Cognos Cube Designer. This functionality is similar to the functionality available in IBM
Cognos Transformer and in the Model Design Accelerator feature in IBM Cognos Framework
Manager.
Auto-generate a dynamic cube
The auto-design functionality in Cognos Cube Designer uses the primary-foreign key
relationships between tables in the data source to detect and extrapolate the structure of the
dimensions. In a star schema design warehouse, it creates a dimension for each dimension
table that is joined to the fact table. It creates a default hierarchy with a single level. In the
case of a snowflake warehouse design, it creates a dimension with a default hierarchy and a
level for each table in the snowflake structure of the dimension, moving from the furthest from
the fact table inwards. Columns in each table will be attributes of the level corresponding to its
parent table.
To use the auto-generate cube feature, right-click the fact table you want to use from the Data
Source Explorer, and select Generate cube.