Defining Analysis Services Dimensions - SQL Server Analysis Services 2012 Cube Development - page 23

Defining data source views
Data source view ( DSV ) serves as a layer of abstraction between a relational data
source and SSAS objects. You can import existing tables and views from relational
sources into a DSV. DSVs also allow defining new columns and views (named calcu-
lations and named queries, respectively) based on the existing structures within your
data sources. Let's learn how to create and enhance DSVs.
Getting started
A prerequisite to building a DSV is defining at least one data source. Build a data
source before working on DSVs by following a previous recipe.
How to do it...
To define a DSV, perform the following steps:
1. Right-click on the Data Source Views folder in SSDT's Solution Explorer
and choose New Data Source View . This activates the Data Source View
Wizard . This wizard allows using the existing data source or defining a new
one. If you choose to create a new data source, you will go through the same
steps we discussed earlier in this chapter. For this example let's use the exist-
ing data source.
2. The following screen allows choosing tables and views we want to include in
the DSV. You can add or remove objects using the left and right arrows in
between the Available objects and Included objects panes of this dialog.
Tip
Note the Filter textbox; it comes in very handy in large databases with
thousands of tables and views. You can enter a string in the Filter textbox
to limit the list of available objects to those objects whose name contains
the mentioned string.