Data Source Dimensions and Measures

When connected to a Data Source, the Data Pane contains two sections below the Data Source which categorizes and groups all of the data as either Dimensions or Measures. Dimensions and Measures play different roles when building charts or tables in the View Area.

Dimensions and Measures

Converting Dimensions to Measures and Vice Versa

Renaming Dimensions and Measures

Viewing Data

Searching Dimensions

Duplicate Dimensions and Measures

 

Dimensions and Measures

The Dimensions and Measures Panes show fields from your currently selected Data Source in the Data Pane. Visual Analytics automatically determines whether fields are Dimensions or Measures based on the datatypes it detects in the Data Source.

Dimensions are fields that contain qualitative data such as shipping territories, dates, cities and product categories. When used in Columns or Rows they most commonly create Headers. Dimensions have a default Sort of Ascending which can be changed by right clicking and selecting [Default Properties].

Measures are fields that contain aggregateable numerical data like profit, sales, freight and tax amount. When used in Columns or Rows measures generate Axes. Measures also have default aggregation of SUM in the Measures Pane, which can be changed to other aggregation types by right clicking and selecting [Default Properties > Aggregation]. This only affects items dragged out after the change is made. Any Measure in the Rows or Columns decks can also have its aggregation type changed by right clicking and choosing [Measure Type] then selecting an aggregation. 

Below is an example Data Pane which shows fields for Customer Name and DueDate as Dimensions. The Measures section displays Freight and Profit as fields. The icons on the left of the fields vary based on if there data types are string, date/time, or numeric.

 

Parameters

The Parameters Pane, which appears below the Measures Pane, is for creating your own dynamic values that can take the place of constant values in calculations. See the Parameters page for more on how to create and work with parameters.

 

Converting Measures to Dimensions, Converting Dimensions to Measures

There may be cases where you need to convert what Visual Analytics detected as a Measure into a Dimension (or vice versa). As an example, data in the field ShipVia may be stored as numbers 1, 2, 3 or 4 where each number was meant to represent a different shipping method like air, sea, road or rail. Visual Analytics would detect these digits and assume ShipVia is a Measure. To convert ShipVia to a Dimension, right click on it within the Measures Pane and select [Convert to Dimension].

Once the Measure is converted it appears in the Dimensions Pane.

 

Renaming Dimensions and Measures

You can right click on a Dimension, Measure, Calculated Field or Parameter and select [Rename...] to provide a custom name. A Dimension or Measure's name in the data source remains unchanged when you use [Rename...], renaming merely provides an alias to the original data source name within Visual Analytics.

The original name from the data source for a renamed field is always displayed in the title of the [Rename Field] dialog to make identifying its origin easier. The [Reset] button allows you to swap it back to its original name for Dimensions and Measures. Calculated Fields and Parameters can be renamed, but there is no ability reset them to their original name once they are changed.

Be aware that renaming a Dimension, Measure or Parameter can cause a Calculated Field to become invalid if it expects to use a particular field name that no longer exists in its calculations. You will get a warning if your field is in use within a Calculated Field before you rename it.

 

Viewing Data

To view the data associated with the Dimensions and Measures, click the [View Data] button at the top right of the Dimensions pane. This will show all of the data in a tabular format. For more on the View Data window, see Viewing Data.

 

Searching Dimensions and Measures

To search for a particular Dimension or Measure click the [Search] icon at the top right of the Dimensions or Measures pane. Names will be matched in alphabetical order as you type and highlight with a background color in the list.

Duplicate Dimensions and Measures

Aqua Data Studio version 19 allows you to duplicate Dimensions and Measures straight from the column and row decks.

Right click on the Dimension/Measure you want to duplicate. A menu displays where the duplicate option is available. You can also duplicate a Dimension/Measure by clicking Ctrl and dragging the Dimension/Measure to the side of the deck.

See Managing Data Sources for more information on Data Sources and their properties.