How to: Add a Role-Playing Dimension to a Cube
You can add a role-playing dimension to a cube by using the Dimension Usage view in Cube Designer, which you can access from Business Intelligence Development Studio. A role-playing dimension is a dimension that is used in a cube more than one time, each time for a different purpose. For example, you might add a Time dimension to a cube three times to track the times that products are ordered, shipped, and received. Each role-playing dimension is joined to a fact table on a different foreign key.
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In Solution Explorer, right-click the cube, and then click View Designer.
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In Cube Designer, click the Dimension Usage tab.
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Either click the Add Cube Dimension button, or right-click anywhere on the work surface and then click Add Cube Dimension.
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In the Add Cube Dimension dialog box, select the dimension that you want to add, and then click OK.
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In the Dimension Usage view, under Dimensions, right-click the dimension that you added in the previous step, click Rename, and then type a new name for the role-playing dimension. This name should describe the purpose of the dimension and should distinguish it from the other dimensions of the same type. For example, if you have added a Time dimension multiple times, you might name the instances Order Time, Ship Time, and Delivery Time.
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Define the relationship between the fact table or tables and the role-playing dimension.
