Cube Viewer


2022-09-01 008.384




1. Preface

 SW-Tools Cube Viewer provide you with a simple to use user interface to analyse data stored in a cube.

It is integrated in the SW-Tools IQ environment because of the following advantages:

- IQ is optimal for online queries
- IQ runs in the NET-TRIO environment for intra/internet solutions
- IQ provides the link back to the real database information for complete drill-down capabilities

1.1. Requirements

 The Cube Viewer requires SW-Tools TRIO version 008.036 or higher. It also requires a separate license.

1.2. Video

 This manual is based on the BI demosystem and all screenshots is automatically generated in connection with the video. The video is present at the SW-Tools webpage

http://www.swtools.com

The video is intended to be an assistant for presentations and on-line training sessions.

2. The user interface

 The cube viewer consist of two areas

- A controlpanel
- A view area

2.1. The controlpanel

 The controlpanel is a tree view like the windows explorer, where you as user are able to define analytic views of the data stored in the cube. The definition of a view is done by selecting one of the measures and one or more of the dimensions.

The controlpanel may be shown or hidden by selecting the Show function on the toolbar or press F11.


1. The show/hide controlpanel toolbar item

The controlpanel normally use 20% of the entire with of the window, but you may set this to 20, 30, 40 or 50% using the menu


2. Menu for controlpanel size

2.1.1. Controlpanel items

 The controlpanel contain the following items:


3. The controlpanel items

Any item within the controlpanel may be selected using the keyboard, that is if the controlpanel have focus. You may use the arrow keys up/down to position youself in the panel and the Enter key to select or deselect an item.

If you prefer to use the mouse you may single-click on the symbol left of the item name or double-click on the name to select or deselect the item.

Some of the items, normally those who have a + symbol in it are items that contain subitems. Therefore when you select such an item the item will be opened and the + symbol will change to a - and display all subitems underneath it. If the symbol does not change, it is because there are no subitems present for the selected item.

2.1.1.1. Favorites

 This item may be opened/closed and contain subitems of every saved view. Please refer to the chapter Favorites later in this manual.

2.1.1.2. Options

 This item may be opened/closed and contain entries for you to control how any axis on a chart should be. For example, you may control how it should be sorted and how many items should be displayed.

Please refer to the chapter Sorting and view settings later in this manual.

2.1.1.3. Measures

 This item may be opened/closed and contain all available measures in the cube.

Normally you should only select one measure at a time. The manual will however describe how you may work with multiple measure later on.


4. Selecting a measure

2.1.1.4. Dimensions

 This item may be opened/closed and contain all available dimensions in the cube.

A dimension may be selected into one of 4 axis.

There is two ways you can select a dimension into an axis. By opening the dimension item and checkmark the axis or by right click on the dimension item and select the axis via a menu.

2.1.1.4.1. Dimension axis

 The measure selected will always be show vertically on a chart. Therefore the dimension can only be used on X, X1, Y or Z.

The X axis is the main horisontal axis. It is divided into marks, where each mark dislays the dimension value.

The X1 axis os the secondary horisontal axis, or a subaxis on the X axis. This axis will not display any marker and dimension value.

The Y axis may be used to stack values vertically. Please be aware that the sums retrieved from the cube is summed up according to this selection, so that each dimension selected on the X, X1 or Z axis is grouped by the dimension selected in the Y axis.

A dimension can only be selected on one if the mentioned axis.


5. Dimension axis X


6. Dimension axis X1


7. Dimension axis Y


8. Dimension axis Z

2.1.1.4.2. Dimension values

 The subitem dimension values contain a listing of all collected values within the cube. Also, it always contain a first item named All.

This section is used to make selections for a dimension, e.g. selecting to view data from a specific year or country.

Selections on dimension values may be done even if the dimension is not selected into an axis on the view.

Please refer to the chapter Selections later in this manual.

2.1.1.5. Reports

 This item can be opened/closed and contain subitems of every saved report. Please refer to the chapter Reports later in this manual.

2.2. The view area

 The view area is used to display the information selected. The view is initially not containing anything until you select at least a dimension.

The width of the view is always dependent on the size of the controlpanel as described in the previous section.

3. Chart view

 The default view of any analysis is a bar chart, but the view can any of the charts shown below. You select the chart type as shown here from the toolbar or using one of the function keys as listed in the chapter Keyboard control.


9. Bar chart


10. Thin bar chart


11. Cylindar chart


12. Line chart


13. Area chart


14. Point chart


15. Pie chart

3.1. View angle

 The view angle of a chart may be controlled by the two scrollbars located in the view area.

3.2. Legend

 The legend of a chart may be shown/hidden using the menu

- View, Chart, Legend


16. Display of legend

3.3. 2D instead of 3D

 The chart may be displayed as 3D or 2D. You may control this with the menu

- View, Chart, 2D


17. Display 2D chart

Please note that 2D chart will not be able to display the Z axis.

4. Table view

18. Table view

4.1. Styles

 The following styles may be selected


19. Selecting table style

4.2. Pivot function

 THe pivot function allows you to control if a table view should be dislayed in rows or columns. This may be controlled for each axis X, X1, Y, Z.

For example, if we have selected the following dimensions into a view


20. Table view of 3 dimensions as rows

and select the the menu


21. Selecting pivot function X1 as column

and in the same manner select the Y axis as column


22. Pivot table with X1 and Y as column

The pivot function delivers a better visual overview of the values in the table view.

5. Information view

 The information view may at all times be used just like a chart, table or map view.

The information will at all times show the following values according to the measure selected:


23. Information view

All selections, on any dimension, and global selections for multiple views will be listed here.

This provides the detail description of the analysis.

6. Color control

 The color function is intended to make the charts to look nice for a presentation, visually be able to locate items that are below/above the average, or even according to a user defined calculation.

6.1. Automatic color

 This color function has a predefined color table which cannot be modified. It is intended to make the chart look nice and to have a unique color for each item.


24. Automatic color

6.2. Color according to average

 This color function will display a

- Red color if the item is below the average value of the entire view
- Yellow color if the item is equal to the average value of the entire view
- Green color if the item is above the average value of the entire view


25. Color according to average

In order to know the exact values used for this please refer to the chapter Information view.

6.3. Color according to calculation

 This color function may be modified by means of the calculation module. By default it provides a calculated color for an item but also a tooltip showing the

- Percentage of the average value for the view


26. Color according to calculation

The calculated color is normally setup by the one who maintain the cube definition.

7. Drill-down

7.1. How to drill-down

 You may click on the chart item and select the menu item


27. Drill-down in date dimension

7.2. Single click drill-down

 The menu File, Settings, Single click drill-down will make a single click on a chart item drill-down to the next level if and only if the item is designed for drill-down and not a the lowest level.

7.3. How to drill-up

 The drill-up function may be done in two ways.

- Selecting the tollbar item Back
- Right click on the item and select menu item Drill-up to ...

8. Geomarketing

 The cube viewer may not only analyse information using the chart or table view, but according to geographic information such as

- Country
- State
- City
- Region
- Postalcode

SW-Tools offers predefined maps for the geomarketing.

8.1. World map

 The world map is delivered with the SW-Tools Business Intelligence package. It is free of charge.


28. Selecting geomarketing map


29. Worldmap

8.2. Other country specific maps

 Currently SW-Tools offer the following country specific maps:

- Austria, Regions
- Denmark, Country, State and Zipcode
- Germany, Regions, Tow & Country sectors, Zipcode 1 & 2 digit
- Sweden, Regions
- England, Postalcode Area ID
- United States of America, States

If this does not satisfy your need, please read chapter User defined visualization using Microsoft PowerPoint and the chapter Export and Publish where you have easy integration with the Microsoft MapPoint application.


30. Danish Postalcode map

8.3. Support and license

 The world map is delivered with the SW-Tools Business Intelligence package. It is free of charge.

Please contact your SW-Tools partner for prices on other geomarketing maps provided by SW-Tools.

SW-Tools will maintain the maps and provide updates when nessessary.

9. User defined visualization using Microsoft PowerPoint

 Apart from the geomarketing feature described in the previous chapter, you are able to define your own visual maps using Microsoft PowerPoint.

Allthough it is impossible to describe what you may use this for, the possibilities are unendless and most importantly it is easy for you to use.

Even though SW-Tools or Microsoft MapPoint can provide maps for Postalcodes, States and Regions, most customers have their own

- Sales regions
- Stock locations
- Office locations
- Customer areas
- Organizational diagrams
- etc.

which almost certainly makes it an impossible task for SW-Tools to provide any imaginable map.

A perfect example if this is the cube used in this manual. Here we have a dimension names Location build from the two first digits of the article number. Nevertheless, this dimension represents the location of each article all over the world. Now to visualize this we have setup and saved a user defined map using PowerPoint.

The user doing the analysis may now select this map by selecting the Map item on the toolbar


31. Selecting browse map

The browse function allows the user to load a user specific map file, in the format Windows Meta File (.WMF). This format comes from how we have saved the slide in PowerPoint.


32. Browse for map file dialog

The result will be a view of the user defined map, but with the same functionality as for the normal chart, table or SW-Tools geomarketing map view, e.g. color, label and mouse over functions.


33. Powerpoint map view

9.1. Rules for the slide definition

 The rules for defining a PowerPoint slide is simple. You insert any kind of item that PowerPoint can, such as symbols, pictures, etc.

Please refer to the sample map in the file

c:\swtools\bi\maps2.ppt

Now, to represent a value of a dimension in the slide you need to insert some kind of symbol, clipart where you are able to control the fill color. On the sample map for the article location we have chosen to use the circle symbol.

Once the symbol have been inserted on the slide you need to follow the rules describes here.

9.1.1. Fill color rule

 The fill color must be set according to a specific RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color.

- Red may be set to a value from 0 to 255
- Green may be set to a value from 0 to 255
- Blue MUST ALWAYS BE SET TO 1

This allows you to make a possible 65536 different items on one map.

9.1.2. Textbox rule

 So that the map can link the color of the item to a dimension value you need to insert a textbox somewhere on the slide. The textbox should then contain one line of text for each symbol inserted in the slide

SWMAP;8;70

where the 3 columns are separated by a semicolon.

The first column is fixed to the text SWMAP.

The second column is the reference to the color set on the symbol. In this example the symbol must have been set to a fill color, where Red=8, Green=0 and Blue=1.

The third column contain the actal value if the dimension, e.g. 70 is the article location.

With release version 008.048 you may use the following syntax:

{{SWMAPS}}
{{8;70}}
{{9;71úThisúisúmyútest}}
{{SWMAPE}}

This is introduced because powerpoint splits the text incorrectly on spaces and special language characters. The spaces must be replaced by the decimal character code 250 (you may press ALT followed by 2-5-0 on the numeric pad).

9.2. How to save the slide as a map file

 First of all you need to save the PowerPoint file as you would normally do. This is then the master file of your defined map(s).

Secondly, it is important to remember that the SW-Tools Business Intelligence cannot read the PowerPoint file directly, it need to have the map as a Windows Meta File (.WMF).

To save a slide in such a format you need to select the PowerPoint menu

- File, Save as...

enter a filename, e.g.

c:\swtools\bi\lxx.wmf

and select the filetype

Windows Meta File

press OK and answer Current slide when asked.

10. Labels

 The following labels may be shown/hidden.

- ID
- Value
- Percentage

By default all labels are hidden. If you need to know the value of a specific item on the chart or in the table move the mouse over the item and the values will be displayed in the top left part of the view area.

When you have selected label ID and Value and is about to select label Percentage the view will look like this:


34. Selecting labels

11. Sorting and view settings

 Sorting and maximum number of elements may be controlled for a view. This is done within the section Options in the controlpanel or by right click on the view area using. If you right click a menu is displayed from where you may select what you want to do.


35. Options for the X axis

11.1. Maximum number of elements

 The options section in the control panel may be used to set the maximum number of elements displayed in a view. The default number of elements is


36. Setting maximum number of elements in a view

11.2. Sorting

 The sorting may be done according to one or more of the axis X, X1, Y and Z. You may sort according to the dimension value, which is the default behavior, or according to the value, e.g. measure selected.


37. Sorting according to measure

Also, the sorting is by default in ascending order, but may be checkmarked to be in descending order instead.


38. Sorting in descending order

12. Selections

 Selections allow you to limit the view of any analysis. The selection is made within any dimension in the controlpanel in the section

12.1. All values - no selection

 This option will include all values of a dimension, e.g. no selection is made.


39. Selecting all dimension values

12.2. Individual values

 Individual values may be checkmarked one by one.


40. Selecting one dimension value

12.3. Advanced selection dialog

 Instead of having to checkmark dimension values one by one you may right click on Values and choose the menuitem Selection.... The dialog allows you to enter a search criteria.

For the text search you may use * and ? to include values, e.g.

D*

searches for all values begining with D.

For numeric values you may enter ranges as

1-7,10-20

Any criteria may be extended by using the following operators:

(
)
|
&
>=
<=

For example you may select multiple ranges like this:

(A*|B*)&*S

This will select all text values starting with A or B and ending on S.

For fields based on a date, e.g. year, quarter, month, week and the date itself you may use the following rules:

d or t todays date
y or † or j this year
m this month
w or u this week

and also add or subtract values, with

+1y add one year
-2m subtract 2 months

An example could be if the current date was 4. of May 2007 you could select the daterange 14 days ago until today as

>=d&<=


41. Advanced selection dialog

13. Favorites

 The favorite section is used to store view. A view may be defined with all settings described in this manual, such as sorting, chart type etc. and hereafter saved as a favorite.

13.1. Add a favorite

 To add a favorite you need to select the following toolbar item:


42. How to add a favorite

13.2. Favorite information

 The favorite dialog look like this. The name will be listed in the controlpanel view.


43. Dialog for favorite information

13.3. List of favorites

 Once a favorite have been added the controlpanel will list it like this:


44. Control panel view of added favorites

14. Lowlevel data

 In order to drill-down to low level data the cube must have been build with lowlevel data.

The lowlevel data may be selected when you click on an item with in the chart or table. The menu that is presented contain a menu item


45. Menu for lowlevel drill-down

When selected the view area will change to a table view that shows all colected records for the particular item selected.


46. Drill-down data view

In order to go back from the drill-down table view you need to select a chart or table type.

15. Comparing multiple measures

 If the control panel contain a dimension item named Measures it is possible to compare multiple measures in the analysis. Because the measures is treated as a dimension it can be selected into a view on any axis.


47. Multile measures in a view

The values item under the dimension Measures allows you to select all measures or just those you want to compare.

Please refer to the chapter Selections for a description of how to make a selection.

16. Multiple interactive views

 The concept of multiple views that can interact provides the analyst with a powerful way to drill into the data in the cube.

You are able to use the functions New, Duplicate and Clear in order to make multiple views. The number of views is limited to a maximum of 4.


48. Multiple views on one screen

As you can see the active view is dislayed with a black border. To active another view just click once on the view. The controlpanel will only match the active view.

16.1. Duplicating a view

 Use the menu Edit, Duplicate to copy the current view into a new view.

16.2. Inserting a new view

 Use the menu File, New to insert a new empty view.

16.3. Interaction between views

 Interaction between views are done by means of selections. Not as described earlier but by clicking an item and select


49. Global selection for other views

The selection made is not done for the current view but for all other views present. The active view will however show the chart item with a black border.

You may select multiple values and from multiple views.

16.4. Rotating windows

 Use the menu Window, Rotate windows to rotate the order of the views.

16.5. Deleting a view

 Use the menu Edit, Delete to delete the current view.

17. Reports

 The report section is an extension of the favorite section. Within the report section you may define subreports and within each subreport you may add views as you would add to favorites.

17.1. New report

 In order to define a new report folder select


50. New report menu

In the dialog you may enter


51. New report properties

17.2. Add view to report

 You do not need to create a new report in order to add a view to the report section. The report section must be understood as the main report where views may be added.

If you have created a report and want to add the current view to it, be sure that the report folder is selected before adding the view. If you fail to do so the view will be added to the main report section.

A fullproof way of adding a view to a specific report folder is to right click the report folder and select


52. Add to report menu

In the dialog you may enter


53. Add to report properties

17.3. Delete report

 To delete a report or view you must right click the report folder or view and select the menuitem Delete.

The delete function will ask for confirmation first. The deleting includes all subitems within the selected section.

17.4. Rename report

 To rename a report or view you must right click the report folder or view and select the menuitem Rename.

17.5. Printing

 When you need to print a report defined you must right click the report folder and select the menuitem Print and hereafter the printer.


54. Print report menu

The selection of printer depends on the printers you have setup for TRIO.

If you want to print all reports, subreports etc. just right click the main report section as you would do on a report folder.

If you just want to print a view you may right click on the view as you would do on a report folder.


55. Sample report content


56. Sample report chart


57. Sample report table


58. Sample report geomarketing

18. Extend with IQ queries

19. Export and Publish

19.1. Export a view

19.2. Predefined publishing to Microsoft Products

19.2.1. Microsoft Excel

59. Sample published to Excel

19.2.2. Microsoft Word

60. Sample published to Word

19.2.3. Microsoft PowerPoint

61. Sample published to PowerPoint

19.2.4. Microsoft MapPoint

19.2.4.1. Postal information

62. Sample published to MapPoint - Denmark Postalcodes

19.2.4.2. Address information

63. Sample published to MapPoint - Germany Addresses

20. Keyboard control

20.1. Generel keyboard settings
  Key Description
  Delete Clear all and close all levels in controlpanel
  F2 Table view
  F3 Bar chart view
  F4 Thin bar chart view
  F5 Cylindar chart view
  F6 Line chart view
  F7 Area chart view
  F8 Point chart view
  F9 Pie chart view
  F11 Show/hide controlpanel
  F12 Map selection

20.2. Ctrl keys
  Key Description
  0 Rotate views
  1 View percentage
  2 View value
  3 Include subtotals
  4 Automatic color
  5 Color according to average
  6 Coloraccording to calculation
  7 Show/hide label id
  8 Show/hide label value
  9 Show/hide label percentage
  W New view
  S Add to favorites
  P Hardcopy
  C Duplicate current view
  X Delete current view
  F1 Information view

20.3. Shift+Ctrl keys
  Key Description
  B Back in history
  F Forward in history
  1 Pivot table X as column
  2 Pivot table X1 as column
  3 Pivot table Y as column
  4 Pivot table Z as column

20.4. Special for map view
  Key Description
  + Zoom in
  - Zoom out
  * Zoom all