Is it possible that I change the data's type when I create the DSV in the Visual Studio 200

Hello everyone:

Recently, I was responsible for creating a analysis services project with the SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio in Visual studio 2005. I encountered a error that the data type is not supported when I tried to add the table from a remote Oracle server. I can not modify the data type in the oracle server. Is it possible that I change the data's type when I create the DSV in the Visual Studio 2005? (if I have known the table's name)

Help me Please! tell me the steps or some references if it is possible

Thanks

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While I don't think you can change the data type of the column within the DSV, what you can do is add a named calculation to the table within the DSV and use a snippet of Oracle to cast the underlying column to whatever data type you want. The new named calculation would then inherit that data type.

For example (using SQL Server here, not Oracle), if I had a table with a column named ZIPCODE of type INT but I wanted to treat the column as VARCHAR within my SSAS solution, I could add a new named calculation to the table within the DSV (right-click on the table in the DSV and select New Named Calculation), call it something like ZIPCODE_STR and then use the T-SQL snippet CONVERT(VARCHAR(10), ZIPCODE). This new column then behaves like any other within the DSV and within the rest of my solution -- and has a datatype of System.String with a length of 10.

HTH,

Dave Fackler

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Thank you very much

Now I did not install SQL Server 2005 and VS on current computer, I will try it later. I think you suggest is very well. But I have a question: you said I could add a new name calculation to the table within the DSV. Does it equal that the table (at least one column's datatype doesn't not match the SSAS's rule) have been added into the DSV?

The problem I encounter is that I can not add that table to the DSV because of the unsuited the datatype for the column. Is there any other suggestion to me?

Thanks^_^

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Sorry, I missed the point that you can't add the table to the DSV because of the data type...

In that case, instead of adding a named calculation to the table (as you are correct in thinking that the table must be present within the DSV to do this), add a named query instead. Just right-click on the design surface of the DSV and select New Named Query.

This will bring up a dialog box that you can use to enter any PL/SQL select statement (given you are using Oracle) returning whatever columns (converted to whatever datatypes you need) from one or more tables. Very similar to creating a view in the Oracle database. Just give the named query a name and it will then appear as a table within the DSV. So, in your case, you'd likely want to select all the relevant columns that you need, converting the one with the unsupported datatype to another datatype (just be sure to alias the column once you convert it as a named query must return named columns so that the DSV can understand the metadata returned by the query).

HTH,

Dave Fackler

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I think this response is I need. Thank~ you very much.

I will try it later.

Thanks^_^

Winnie