Setting up a TIME dimension in OBIEE

Hi,
We have an Oracle OLAP Cube built using AWM v10.2.0.3A. We have also created a relational view for this cube (using the OLAP view generator) and are now using this view as a data source in OBIEE v.10.1.3.3.2.
As part of defining the Time dimension in the Business Model Layer of OBIEE repository, we have done all the relevant mappings to the TIME dimension as in the AWM Cube and have marked the dimension as type 'TIME'. Also, for the TIME logical table, we have defined each level (All Years, Year, Month, Quarter, and Day) to have its own chronological key with unique values at all levels. The primary key for our TIME table in the business layer is 'Day'. This level 'Day' is mapped to TIME_DAY_LVLDSC column of the relational view created over the AWM cube. The data type for this column is "VARCHAR". (We basically picked up all the 'Description' columns while creating the view over the cube!)
With this background of the TIME dimension structure, here is the problem scenario:
When we try to create a report with one AGO and one TODATE function defined over the "Day" level (both are defined as logical columns), then the report takes forever to run and never comes back with any data/error even for a handful of rows. We are seeking the forum's help on the following:
1. Is it necessary for the primary key 'Day' of the TIME logical table to be of type DATE? If yes, does this mean that we have to change the column data type in our cube (or select a 'date' type column to be a part of the view and then redo the mapping in the repository) or do we just make a change to the column data type in the physical layer of OBIEE repository?
2. Going by the description above, is there something missing (other than point 1. above) in the setup of the TIME dimension in OBIEE so as to make it usable for Time Series type of calculations/functions?
Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks and Regards,
Piyush

Hi Wildmight,
Thanks a lot for your kind inputs.
1. No, VARCHAR is fine. You should have also defined unique time keys in your time dimension (Quarter Year, Month Year) and check box 'time dimension' in the properties of your time dimension.
-->> The Time dimension that we have defined in the Business layer of the repository is mapped to the respective level columns in the AWM cube and has already got unique members at each level. We are using the "Description (LVLDSC)" columns for each level and have defined the "Description" column to have unique values at each level. A sample data set looks like :
Year:
2007
2008
Quarter:
QUARTER1 2007
QUARTER2 2007
QUARTER1 2008
QUARTER2 2008
Month:
JANUARY 2007
FEBRUARY 2007
JANUARY 2008
FEBRUARY 2008
Day:
Monday, January 1st 2007
Tuesday, January 2nd 2007
So in the above case, do we still need to define a unique key for each level like Quarter Year, Month Quarter, etc.? (Please note that the check box for 'TIME' dimension is checked !)
2. Is your AGO based on TODATE? or your TODATE based on AGO?
-->> I am not sure what this really means - however I can tell you that we have created two new logical columns (in the fact table in Business Layer) : one to show the measure as TODATE for Day level, and the other to show the measure as Day Ago.
So it means that we are trying to create two reports with three columns as below:
- Day Measure on Day Measure Todate (Day)
- Day Measure on Day Measure Day Ago (Day, 1)
I hope I have been able to clarify the problem scenario with this. Does this setup seem correct to you?
Many thanks for your help.
Best Regards,
Piyush

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Error Codes: OPR4ONWY:U9IM8TAC:OI2DL65P
State: HY000. Code: 10058. [NQODBC] [SQL_STATE: HY000] [nQSError: 10058] A general error has occurred. [nQSError: 14026] Unable to navigate requested expression: ToDate(SPECIFICG:[DAggr(RFACT.SPECIFIC [ ] by [ EFact.NO [ ] , Year.ID [ ] ] )], [Level Years]). Please fix the metadata consistency warnings. (HY000)
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Hello wildmight.
I followed this tutorial:
http://www.rittmanmead.com/2007/04/30/obi-ee-time-dimensions-and-time-series-calculations/
Why should this layout not work?
Do you have a better idea?
When you say "it has to be one table" do you mean
that quartermonthday and year need to be ONE?
I just rememered that Oracle Hyperion Planning has to have
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Hello mod100.
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Edited by: user_K on Apr 27, 2010 11:32 AM

It worked!!!* Even my time drill downs and date based filtering still work!
That is awesome. Never would have thought of that intuitively.
Now, just need a little help understanding how it works. When I run my report and check the logs I can see that two queries are issued:
Query 1: Joins the fact table to all the associated dimensions. I even changed all the relationships to inner joins (which is what they truly are). And calculates the original measure. If I copy and paste this query into sql developer it runs fine but only returns those rows that joined to the time dimension - which is what was happening before. It is correct but I wanted a record for every time dimension record.
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select sum(0)
from timedim
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Thanks for all the help .. Id give more points if I could.
K

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Hello,
Thank you for your question.
I am trying to involve someone familiar with this topic to further look at this issue.
George Zhao
TechNet Community Support
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Thanks for taking the time to review my post.
Environment
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Query
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hi,
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Fact table has some dim columns??
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