i'm new to cubes..
have a question: if i have a fact table with all data i need to create
a cube..
can i without creating a separate dimension table on RDB site just
point a cube to one of fact table columns as dimension (same concept
as measure column)..or i must create that "dimension" table in order
to specify a dimension on OLAP site?
thanks in advance
Dim

No you can point to fact table and use that as dimension too.
But generally fact table does only has keys and numeric measures.
So if you have in the same fact table also has dimension attributes or
descriptive labels , so to speak (not recommended practice) you can use
that as dimension too. e.g it has Product Name also
Now you can use it as dimension even if it does not have descriptive labels
but then in your report you will see Productids etc as labels of your
measures.
HTH
Akshay
"Dim" <dim1ann (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

dim1ann (AT) yahoo (DOT) com (Dim) wrote in message news:<f1793d2b.0312011503.6e38ca98 (AT) posting (DOT) google.com>...
Dear Dim,
Sure you can do that. Imagine a table named "Sales" with this
structure:
Time Prod Geo Sales
1-Jan-04 Shoes Dallas 100
2-Jan-04 Kayaks Houston 200
.... etc

When you go to create a new cube, you can do this from the Wizard by
selecting Sales as the fact table. When you get to the Dimension
part, click the "New Dimension" Button and create one dimension each
for Time, Prod, and Geo. You probably will want to specify that these
dimensions are not shared. And select Sales as the fact.

This is actually easier if you don't use the Wizard. Then you go
right to the Cube editor, select Sales as the fact table, and then
drag Time, Prod, and Geo over to the Dimensions folder to create their
dimensions. Drag sales to the Measures folder.

This can cause you some troubles if the dimension values are not
consistent (e.g. Geo contains "Dallas", "Dallas, TX", etc). But if
you have some existing data that you just want to see in cube form for
a test, this is a reasonable thing to do.