MDX Basics

1. Introduction to MDX Query
BY
Shankar. M , DBCube Support.
At
Chandragupta Meeting Room
On
18th
September 2008.

2. AGENDA
• MDDB Concepts.
• BNF Notations.
• Description of MDX Query Format.
• MDX Script Editor in EAS.
• Simple examples on MDX Query.

3. MDDB Concepts
Key Terms
• Cube
• Dimensions
• Members
• Generations
• Levels
• Data Block
• Slicing
Data Block

4. Generation & Levels
Example for Dimension Generation/ Level Explanation

5. Backus Naur Form(BNF) Notation
• Alphabets/Symbols
• Tuple
• Set
• Non-Terminals
• /,+,*,[],<>

6. Intro to MDX Query
• MDX is a language-based data analysis mechanism to
Essbase databases. MDX exhibits all of the following
characteristics:
• Provides advanced data extraction capability
• Provides advanced reporting capability
• Includes functions for identifying and manipulating
very specific subsets of data
• Is a data-manipulation language, complementing MaxL
DDL (the data-definition language for Essbase)
• Utilizes the platform-independent XML for Analysis
specification

7. MDX Query Format
[<with_section>]
SELECT [<axis_specification>
[, <axis_specification>...]]
[FROM [<cube_specification>]]
[WHERE [<slicer_specification>]]

8. Key terms related to the Syntax
• Axis
• Slice
• Cube
• Member
• Tuple
• Set

9. Examples on MDX Query
Simple Select Statement
SELECT {[Information].[EQUITY.].children} on columns, [Time].[16-SEP-2008] ON ROWS
FROM GPC where ([Countries].[CHINA]);
Snap Shot:

10. Examples on MDX Query
Specific case in Join Operation
SELECT {Crossjoin([Information].[EQUITY.].children,[Countries].[EMERGING
MARKETS].children)} on columns, [Time].[16-SEP-2008] ON ROWS
FROM GPC ;
Snap Shot:

11. Examples on MDX Query
Simple Select Statement
SELECT {Crossjoin([Information].[EQUITY.].children,[Countries].[EEMEA])} on columns, [Time].[16-
SEP-2008] ON ROWS FROM GPC ;
Snap Shot:

12. References
• http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E10530
_01/doc/epm.931/html_esb_techref/techref.
ht
• http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E10530
_01/doc/epm.931/html_esb_techref/techref.
htm