Introduction

MDX is an elegant and powerful language, and also has a steep learning curve.

The goal of this chapter is to use some simple examples to demonstrate the fundamental MDX concepts, features and techniques that are the foundations for further explorations of the MDX language.

The chapter begins with several basic techniques: putting multi-dimensional data onto query axes, cube space restriction, empty cell removal, and the important concept of unique names for members, tuples, and sets. From there, we shall turn our attention to a few more advanced features, such as using the MDX functions, creating calculations in the cube space, manipulating strings, writing parameterized queries, and conditionally formatting cell properties. This will form the basis for the rest of the chapters in this book.

SSAS 2012 provides a sample Analysis Services database, the Multidimensional Adventure Works DW. All the MDX queries and scripts in this book have been updated for Analysis Services 2012, and verified against the 2012 Enterprise Edition of the Adventure Works DW Analysis Services database. Majority of the MDX queries and scripts should also run and have been tested in SSAS 2008 R2.

The Query Editor in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is our choice of writing and testing MDX queries. The SQL Server 2012 comes with a free tool, SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) for cube developers. Just as the Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) was the tool that we used for cube design and MDX scripting in SSAS 2008, SSDT is the tool we will use in this cookbook for cube design and MDX scripting for SSAS 2012.