59 DBMS_DIMENSION

DBMS_DIMENSION enables you to verify dimension relationships and provides an alternative to the Enterprise Manager Dimension Wizard for displaying a dimension definition.

Using DBMS_DIMENSION

This section contains topics which relate to using the DBMS_DIMENSION package.

Security Model

Security Model

Security on this package can be controlled by granting EXECUTE to selected users or roles.

A user can validate or describe all the dimensions in his own schema. To validate or describe a dimension in another schema, you must have either an object privilege on the dimension or one of the following system privileges: CREATE ANY DIMENSION, ALTER ANY DIMENSION, and DROP ANY DIMENSION.

Summary of DBMS_DIMENSION Subprograms

Table 59-1 DBMS_DIMENSION Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
DESCRIBE_DIMENSION Procedure	Prints out the definition of the input dimension, including dimension owner and name, levels, hierarchies, and attributes
VALIDATE_DIMENSION Procedure	Verifies that the relationships specified in a dimension are correct

DESCRIBE_DIMENSION Procedure

This procedure displays the definition of the dimension, including dimension name, levels, hierarchies, and attributes. It displays the output using the DBMS_OUTPUT package.

Syntax

DBMS_DIMENSION.DESCRIBE_DIMENSION (
   dimension  IN VARCHAR2);

Parameters

Table 59-2 DESCRIBE_DIMENSION Procedure Parameter

Parameter	Description
`dimension`	The owner and name of the dimension in the format of `owner.name`.

VALIDATE_DIMENSION Procedure

This procedure verifies that the relationships specified in a dimension are valid. The rowid for any row that is found to be invalid will be stored in the table DIMENSION_EXCEPTIONS in the user's schema.

Syntax

DBMS_DIMENSION.VALIDATE_DIMENSION (
   dimension               IN VARCHAR2,
   incremental             IN BOOLEAN := TRUE,
   check_nulls             IN BOOLEAN := FALSE,
   statement_id            IN VARCHAR2 := NULL );

Parameters

Table 59-3 VALIDATE_DIMENSION Procedure Parameters

Parameter	Description
`dimension`	The owner and name of the dimension in the format of `owner.name`.
`incremental`	If `TRUE`, check only the new rows for tables of this dimension. If `FALSE`, check all the rows.
`check_nulls`	If `TRUE`, then all level columns are verified to be non-null. If `FALSE`, this check is omitted. Specify `FALSE` when non-`NULL`ness is guaranteed by other means, such as `NOT` `NULL` constraints.
`statement_id`	A client-supplied unique identifier to associate output rows with specific invocations of the procedure.