Slice Commands

Create and Save a New Slice

PowerOLAP® offers alternative methods for creating a new Slice, from the Slice tab via the Manage Slices command. You have already seen how to create Slices using the New Slice command.

In the proceeding example, the UsingPO was used as the sample database.

To create Slices using Manage Slices command:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Slice tab, Manage Slices command. The Slices dialog box appears.

The figure above indicates that Current Year Model is the selected Cube. You can display a list of all available Cubes by clicking the Cube drop down button  . When you select a Cube, all existing Slices for that Cube are displayed in the list box below the Slice text box. In the example above, the cube does not have any saved slices.

2.   Select another Cube by clicking the cube drop down button.  
In this example, select Future Year Model.

3.   Enter a <new Slice name> in the Slice text box.        
In this example, name the new Slice as Slice 1.

4.   Click the Add button.     
The new Slice name appears in the Slice list box.

 Tip

You can use the Enter key in place of clicking the Add button to enter new Slice names.

5.   Click OK to close the dialog box.

This completes the creation of your new slice.

 

To view the slice you have created:

1.   From the PowerOLAP ribbon,select Slice tab, Open Slice command.
The Open Slice dialog box is displayed.

2.   Select the appropriate Cube in the drop-down box(I.e., Future Year Model), then select the New Slice you have just created (I.e., Slice 1).

3.   Click OK.

You will see on-screen an “initial Slice view” of the selected Cube; the Cube name and new Slice name appear in the title bar. The arrangement of Dimensions in the Page, Columns and Rows in this initial Slice view reflects the way Dimensions were first entered in the creation of the Cube.

Next, you will rearrange the Dimension names among the Page, Columns and Rows according to your preference of how you want the Slice to look. Likewise, you can select a particular Page Member(s) to view within the Slice. As the Slice is already named (e.g., Slice 1), you need only save the Slice by clicking on the Save Slice button on the Slice tab of the ribbon.

Re-Save Slices after Editing

 

 

Save Slice

The Save Slice command is used to save changes to a previously saved and currently opened Slice.

 

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Slice tab, Save Slice command.

2.   Close the slice.

Open an Existing Slice

 

 

Open Slice

You can access the Open Slice dialog box through the Open Slice command.

 

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Slice tab, Open Slice command. The Open Slice dialog appears.

Clicking on the Cube drop-down button accesses the list of Cubes available in the opened database.

The Slice list box displays all available Slices for the selected Cube.

You can decide, by using the check box, whether the selected Slice will be opened as read-only or not. The Read-only option is recommended when you do not want to accidentally alter the values in the Cube.

The preceding figure shows that the selected Cube is Future Year Model and that three Slice have been created from that Cube, the last of which is the one that we have just previously created Slice 1.

2.   Click OK to open the selected Slice.

3.   Press F9 to update data view.

Rename a Slice

The Manage Slices command on the Slice tab also allows you to rename a Slice. You may want, for example, to change the name of a Slice to describe its contents after entering new data.

To modify the name of a Slice:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Model tab, Manage Slices command. The Slices dialog box is opened.

2.   Select a Cube. In this example, choose the Future Year Model cube from the drop-down list.  Available Slices for the selected Cube are shown.

3.   Click a Slice whose name you want to change. Select the pre-existing slice,         
Slice 1, which brings the name into the text field as well.

4.   Enter the <New Slice name> in the Slice text box. Change the name to read Region by Months.

5.   Click the Rename button. This changes the name in the Slice list box, as shown in the figure below.

6.   Click OK when complete to close the dialog.

The Slice is saved under the new name.

Delete a Slice

The Manage Slices command on the Slice tab allows you to delete a Slice. You may want, for example, to delete a Slice that is no longer needed.

 Important

A Slice must be closed in order for you to delete it.

To delete a Slice:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Model tab, Manage Slices command. The Slice dialog box is opened.

2.   Select a Cube. Available Slices for the selected Cube are shown.

3.   Select a Slice to delete.

4.   Click the Delete button.

5.   Click OK when complete to close the dialog box.

Close a Slice View

 

 

Close Slice

The Close Slice command on the Slice tab allows you to close an open Slice. By clicking on this button, it will close out the active Slice.

 

Close an active Slice as follows:

1.   In the PowerOLAP ribbon, select Slice tab, Close Slice command.
The Slice will be closed in its original format.

If you click on the ‘X’ at the top right of the Slice to close the Slice, the following message will appear if you have made changes to the Slice:

2.   Click Yes if you want any changes made to the Slice to be saved.
Alternatively, click No if you do not want any changes to be saved. Click Cancel if you have closed the Slice in error and wish to be returned to the open slice.

 Important

All changes made while PowerOLAP® is open—including new Slices and data entered into Slices—are saved only once you have saved the database.