Order of dimensions and hierarchies in IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes 10.2.2 FP1

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In all versions of IBM Cognos prior to 10.2.1 FP6 and 10.2.2 FP1, the dimensions of a virtual cube in any of the Cognos studios appear in a fixed order, that of the order of the dimensions of the left hand side’s base cube, followed by the dimensions of the right hand side’s base cube. Any modification to the order of the dimensions of a virtual cube within Cube Designer are not reflected in the studios.

In IBM Cognos 10.2.2 FP1 the order of dimensions within a cube, as presented within all of the Cognos BI studios, is the same as the order defined within Cube Designer, except that the measure dimension is always displayed last.

Prior to version 10.2.2 FP1, a dimension’s default hierarchy always appear first in the list of hierarchies, regardless of how the hierarchies are ordered in Cube Designer. In IBM Cognos 10.2.2 FP1 this is no longer the case – all hierarchies appear in the Cognos BI studios in the same order as they appear in Cube Designer.

The change in the order of dimensions and hierarchies affects more than just the manner in which the dimensions are displayed; in some cases, the order of dimensions and hierarchies is also used to break ties between the solve order of calculated members, such as when 2 or more calculations from un-grouped columns in different hierarchies intersect in a list report, or when calculations appear together in a report’s context filter. Cross tab reports and grouped items in a list report, on the other hand, employ rules that automatically assign solve order to calculated members within a report.

When solve order ties between calculated members cannot be resolved automatically, the calculated member from the dimension which appears before the other in the list of dimensions is assigned the higher solve order. If the calculated members are from the same dimension, the calculated member from the hierarchy which appears before the other in the list of hierarchies of the dimension is assigned the higher solve order.

In a list report, the calculated members which are assigned solve orders by Dynamic Cubes are assigned solve orders which are higher than any calculated members that appear in the grouped data items in the report.

Within Report Studio it is possible to assign explicit solve order to calculated members and measures by creating a report query calculation (either a calculated member or calculated measure) and assigning an explicit value to the data item’s ‘Solve Order’ property.